A security officer attached to the Niger State Government House, Minna, has confessed to selling arms and ammunition to bandits, triggering a major security investigation that has rocked the state police command.
The officer, identified as Inspector John Moses, was arrested following an audit of police armoury records that uncovered missing weapons and ammunition. Security sources disclosed that the audit revealed discrepancies involving AK-47 rifles and thousands of rounds of live ammunition, prompting an immediate probe.
During interrogation, Inspector Moses reportedly confessed that he sold the arms through intermediaries to criminal elements operating in parts of Shiroro Local Government Area, one of the regions worst affected by banditry in Niger State. He further alleged that the weapons were supplied to him by a senior officer.
The investigation also implicated Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abdullahi Isah, attached to the 12 Police Mobile Force (PMF) unit in Minna. DSP Isah was undergoing an armoury audit when he allegedly shot himself dead with a service pistol. Police authorities have confirmed his death and stated that investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Security operatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) have since taken over the case. Inspector Moses has reportedly been moved to Abuja for further interrogation, while several other officers connected to the armoury audit are being questioned for possible negligence or complicity.
The Niger State Police Command said it remains committed to accountability and vowed that any officer found culpable in arms diversion or collaboration with criminal groups would face the full weight of the law.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over internal security breaches within law enforcement agencies, especially as Nigeria continues to battle banditry and violent crime across several states.
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