Police Bust Illegal Firearms Factory in Jalingo, Arrest 50-Year-Old Suspect
The Taraba State Police Command has dismantled an alleged illegal firearms manufacturing facility in Jalingo and arrested a 50-year-old man suspected of producing locally fabricated weapons.
The operation was carried out at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at Wuro-Mallam CBN area of Jalingo, following intelligence received by security operatives.
The suspect was identified as Mamuda Muhammadu Wanzim.
According to reports, operatives of the State Intelligence Department at the Police Headquarters in Jalingo, working with personnel of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, moved into the location and arrested the suspect.
A search of the premises reportedly led to the recovery of four locally made Dane guns, two single-barrel firearms and assorted tools and materials allegedly used in manufacturing weapons.
Preliminary police investigation reportedly indicated that the suspect was involved in the manufacture of illegal firearms and other weapons.
The Nigeria Police Force, in a wider operational update covering security operations in several states, confirmed that a 50-year-old suspected illegal firearms manufacturer was arrested in Taraba on August 23 and that six firearms and manufacturing tools were recovered.
Police said the suspect was cooperating with investigators and had provided information about some people suspected of purchasing the locally manufactured weapons.
Security operatives are consequently working to recover additional firearms and apprehend other persons suspected of being connected to the network.
The development could widen the investigation beyond the alleged manufacturer to those involved in the purchase, distribution and possession of the weapons.
The discovery is particularly significant amid continuing concerns over kidnapping, armed robbery, communal violence and other security challenges in Taraba State, where the availability of illicit firearms can fuel violent crime.
Investigations are ongoing, with police expected to trace the alleged buyers and determine the extent of the suspected arms-manufacturing and distribution network.
The suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.The strongest corroboration is the Nigeria Police Force operational account carried by The Sun, while the more detailed Jalingo location and suspect identification come from security-focused Zagazola Makama.
