The Joint Security Task Force (JTF) in Kano, has arrested three Lebanese suspected of owning the large cache of arms recovered at a bunker in the city.
Brig.-Gen. Iliyasu Abba, the Brigade Commander, 3rd Brigade, Nigerian Army, said one of the suspects was arrested on Tuesday at a house on Gaya Road in Bompai area of Kano.
According to him, another suspect was arrested in Abuja while the third suspect was apprehended since May 16, at Aminu Kano International Airport, on his way to Beirut, Lebanon.
“The one arrested at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport had a sum of 60,000 US dollars in his possession.”
He said one Abdullahi Hassan Tahir Padalla, who was the owner of the house in which one of the suspect was arrested was still at large.
Abba said among the weapons discovered during the operation on Tuesday were 17 AK 47 rifles, 44 magazines, four land mines and 12 RPG bombs, 14 RPG charger, 11 66 mm anti-tanks weapons, one SMG magazine, one pistol and magazine.
Also, 11, 433 rounds of 7.26 mm special, 76 hand grenade, rocket propelled guns, 122 calibre artillery and anti mines weapons were recovered.
“What you are seeing here are weapons of mass destruction in terms of our situation here right now in Nigerian.
“If these things has been brought out only God knows the type of destruction they will cause to innocent persons in the state or in the country,’’ he said.
He said the Department of State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja had been investigating the case for long.
In a remark, the state Director of the SSS, Mr Bassey Ettang, said that the three suspects had a link to the Hezbollah group in Lebanon.
According to him, the suspects have for a long time been using the bunker in the house to stockpile arms and ammunition.
He restated the commitment of the SSS and other security agencies to continue with the ongoing war on criminals nationwide.
