Police Arrest Woman Transporting AK-47 Rifle Inside Sack of Garri

Operatives of the Special Tactical Squad have arrested a 30-year-old woman named Hauwa Yusuf for concealing an AK-47 rifle and four magazines inside a sack of garri.

Yusuf was apprehended along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway during a routine stop-and-search operation.

The arrest was confirmed by Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi during a press briefing at the STS Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

According to Adejobi, Yusuf admitted that she was sent by a notorious bandit named Aminu Basullube, who has been terrorizing Katsina State, to retrieve the weapons from the Danum Madam Camp in the state.

Adejobi stated, “On August 14, 2024, acting on intelligence, STS operatives intercepted Hauwa Yusuf, a 30-year-old woman from Dutsin-Ma LGA of Katsina State. She was arrested while traveling from Lafia in Nasarawa State to Katsina State, inside a Sienna bus along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

“During the search, an AK-47 rifle without a serial number and four AK magazines, hidden inside a white sack of garri, were recovered from her. During interrogation, the suspect confessed that Aminu Basullube, a notorious bandit operating in the general area of Katsina State, had instructed her to collect the arms in Danum Madam Camp, Katsina State.”

Speaking to journalists, Yusuf claimed she was unaware that the sack contained a weapon.

She explained, “I didn’t know it was a gun inside. They asked me to fetch millet, and unfortunately, they didn’t bring garri for me. Even when I saw it, I was worried.

“I was paid ₦130,000 to deliver the garri to Katsina. My transport fare was ₦15,000. I made a mistake by not asking questions.”

In a related development, Adejobi also mentioned that a team of operatives from the FID-STS traveled to Igboho in Oyo State on April 29 to investigate the activities of Musa Saidu.

Investigations revealed that Saidu had left his community for five years, and upon his return to Kigakwu, Kaduna State, he began spending money extravagantly, purchasing various brands of new motorcycles (BAJAJ) and twelve cows in a single day, amounting to N5,000,000.00.

“Upon interrogation, he confessed to the aforementioned crimes and admitted that he was operating under the leadership of one Haruna, based in the Birnin Gwari forest of Kaduna State. Throughout his operations under the gang commander Haruna, he used AK-47 rifles.

“He further revealed that he received twenty-five cows as proceeds from his criminal activities, which he sold in Kaduna State for N4,700,000.00. This money was used to purchase the Bajaj motorcycles and twelve cows—ten female and two male—in Igboho, Oyo State,” Adejobi added.

Saidu explained that he became a cattle rustler after being a victim himself.

The suspect added that he was arrested after he returned to his village to enjoy the proceeds of his crimes.

“I went to Oyo because there were too many problems in Kaduna. I had my cattle, but they were rustled. I know cattle rustling is a crime, but I did it because of what was done to me. After I made money, I stopped and went back to the village to spend it,” he said.