Nigeria arrests 5 suspected arms dealers

ABUJA - Nigeria's police in central north Nasarawa state on Monday arrested five suspected members of an arm-running syndicate.

The suspects were from a syndicate operating in Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba states, Abubakar Bubuche, director of State Security Service (SSS) in the state told reporters in Lafia, the state capital.

Two suspects were arrested last week in Assakio, a community in Lafia. They gave useful information during interrogation, leading to the arrest of three others, including a witch doctor from Abinse in Benue.

Bubuche said items recovered from the suspects included three AK-47 riffles, one sub-machine gun, 48 rounds of live ammunition and assorted charms.

The suspects would be charged as soon as investigation was concluded.

Nigerians have easy access to small arms and light weapons, which breeds gangs like Boko Haram and Bakassi militants, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nuruddeen Mohammed said.