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Riyom LGA, Plateau State | By Prime Brief Media

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have arrested a dismissed police inspector, Danjuma Yusuf, in Riyom Local Government Area, recovering a large cache of weapons and ammunition believed to be destined for terrorist and kidnapping networks across Plateau, Nasarawa, and Kaduna states.

The arrest happened on June 14, 2026, following an intelligence‑led operation.

What was recovered

According to a statement from the military task force, troops recovered:

• Two locally made pistols
• 167 rounds of 9mm ammunition
• One jack knife
• Pepper spray
• Sharp cutlasses
• An undisclosed sum of cash

Yusuf, who was dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force for undisclosed disciplinary reasons, was apprehended at a hideout in Riyom.

“Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect is a major supplier of illegal weapons to terrorist and kidnapping networks operating in Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and beyond,” a military source told Prime Brief Media.

Riyom LGA has witnessed repeated attacks in recent months. Just days before Yusuf’s arrest, eight people were killed in Te’egbe village, Riyom, in an attack blamed on gunmen.

Local officials have long complained that the attacks are fuelled by an influx of illegal weapons from across state borders.

“This arrest confirms what we have been saying,” a Riyom community leader said. “These killings are not spontaneous. They are organised, and they are armed with sophisticated weapons.”

The military launched Operation Enduring Peace in Plateau State earlier this month following a resurgence of violence in Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs.

Special forces have been deployed to flashpoints, and the military says it is committed to dismantling the supply chains that keep armed groups operational.

“We will not relent until every illegal weapon is recovered and every supplier brought to justice,” a military spokesperson said.

Yusuf is currently in military custody and is being interrogated. Authorities say his confession could lead to the arrest of other members of the arms trafficking network.

Meanwhile, residents of Riyom have called for the deployment of more troops to remote villages where attacks have become almost routine.

“One arrest is good,” a farmer told us. “But we need to see the guns stop coming. Until then, we sleep with one eye open.”

Stay informed. Stay ahead.

Prime Brief Media