Suspects in Plateau Illegal G¥n Factories Confessed to Selling W£apons to Fulani Militias — Military
Suspects in Plateau Illegal Gun Factories Confessed to Selling Weapons to Fulani Militias — Military
The Nigerian military says suspects arrested during raids on illegal gun manufacturing factories in Plateau State confessed to selling some of their locally fabricated firearms to Fulani militias because they offered higher prices.
The disclosure was made by the Chief of Staff of Operation Enduring Peace (OPSH), Brigadier General Selong Sule, while briefing senior defence correspondents on behalf of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, in Jos.
According to Brig.-Gen. Sule, intelligence-led military operations recently uncovered and dismantled between three and four illegal weapon manufacturing factories operating in Plateau State.
He said investigations revealed that while some suspects initially claimed they produced firearms solely to help members of their communities defend themselves, several later admitted they also sold weapons to Fulani militias because they were willing to pay higher prices.
“Some of the suspects claimed they manufactured weapons for members of their communities to defend themselves. However, some later confessed that they also sold these weapons to Fulani militias because they paid more,” Sule said.
The military described the proliferation of locally manufactured firearms as one of the most serious security challenges confronting Plateau State, warning that illegal weapons in the hands of non-state actors continue to fuel violence and complicate military operations.
Sule also cautioned against civilians acquiring firearms under the guise of self-defence, arguing that once weapons circulate outside lawful control, they can easily end up in the hands of criminal elements.
He stressed that troops deployed under Operation Enduring Peace operate under constitutional provisions, military regulations and established Rules of Engagement, unlike armed civilians who are not subject to the same legal restraints.
The military reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling illegal arms manufacturing networks and curbing the proliferation of illicit weapons across Plateau State.
