The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested some of its personnel over the alleged diversion and illegal sale of service rifles.
The development was disclosed by the NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, during a briefing with journalists in Abuja on Friday.
Afolabi said the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), led by Commander Dandaura Appollos, uncovered the alleged activities following an intelligence-driven investigation.
According to him, one of the personnel, who was attached to the NSCDC headquarters, allegedly removed an AK-47 rifle from his duty post after completing his shift instead of returning it to the armoury.
The officer was said to have concealed the firearm in two polythene bags before leaving his duty post without authorisation and travelling to Otukpo, Benue State.
Investigators reportedly discovered that the rifle was delivered to a buyer in Otukpo for N700,000 under a prior arrangement. The buyer allegedly resold the weapon to another illicit arms dealer identified as IBB for N800,000.
Afolabi said the suspect later attempted to conceal the missing firearm and allegedly tried to sign out another rifle when questioned.
He added that covert tracking, surveillance and tactical interrogation enabled the intelligence team to apprehend the suspects and recover the AK-47.
In a separate investigation, the CG’s SIS also uncovered the alleged diversion of two G3 rifles from an NSCDC armoury in Adamawa State between 2018 and 2024.
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The weapons were allegedly removed from the armoury without authorisation and sold to junior personnel for N210,000 and N220,000 respectively before being resold to civilians.
The NSCDC said armoury records were allegedly manipulated to conceal the missing weapons.
Afolabi stated that disciplinary procedures against the implicated personnel had been concluded, while Commandant-General Ahmed Audi directed the Directorate of Legal Services to commence legal proceedings against the suspects.
The corps also disclosed the arrest of a suspect linked to the alleged vandalism and theft of 12 telecommunication panels, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate.
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