The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered a shocking case of internal corruption, arresting officers allegedly involved in diverting and selling service rifles to civilians.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested some of its personnel over the alleged illegal diversion and sale of service weapons, a development that has raised serious concerns about arms accountability within security agencies. The Corps confirmed the recovery of an AK-47 rifle that was sold to a buyer in Otukpo, Benue State .
How an AK-47 Left the Headquarters
NSCDC spokesperson Babawale Afolabi disclosed the details while briefing journalists on Friday in Abuja . The investigation was carried out by the Commandant-General's Special Intelligence Squad (CG's SIS), headed by Commander Dandaura Appollos.
According to Afolabi, the first case involved CAII Igah Ameh James, a serving officer attached to the CG's Crack Squad at the National Headquarters . The officer allegedly stole an assigned AK-47 rifle (Bridge No. 02028) after his shift instead of returning it to the armoury .
The officer then concealed the rifle in two polythene bags, abandoned his duty post without authorisation, and transported the weapon to Otukpo, Benue State .
The Sale Chain: N700,000 to N800,000
Investigations revealed a clear chain of illegal transactions :
· James allegedly sold the firearm to a middleman, Abakpa Simon Anthony, for N700,000 .
· Anthony then resold it to an illicit arms buyer identified as Sunday Akor, also known as IBB, for N800,000 .
Through covert tracking, surveillance, and tactical interrogation, the intelligence team apprehended the principal suspects and successfully recovered the AK-47 rifle along with two empty magazines .
Another Case: Years of Systematic Diversion in Adamawa
In a separate but related investigation, the CG's SIS uncovered an alleged systematic diversion of two G3 rifles from an NSCDC armoury in Adamawa State, spanning from 2018 to 2024 .
The investigation implicated ASCI Peter Ardo, a former Head of Armoury at the NSCDC Adamawa State Command . The senior officer allegedly removed the rifles from the store without authorisation and sold them to a junior personnel, CCA Boniface B. Lawyer, in separate transactions for N210,000 and N220,000 .
Lawyer subsequently resold the rifles to a civilian . To conceal the disappearance during routine stocktaking, Ardo allegedly falsified weekly armoury records by handwriting the serial numbers of the missing rifles into the stock register after physical counting .
Legal Action Underway
The NSCDC spokesperson said the intelligence breakthrough underscored the Corps' renewed efforts to strengthen armoury accountability and prevent the diversion of service weapons into the hands of criminals .
He confirmed that internal disciplinary procedures against the errant officers have been concluded . The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, has directed the Directorate of Legal Services (DLS) to immediately institute legal proceedings against all suspects across the four segments in courts of competent jurisdiction .
The arrests and recovery of the weapons represent a significant step in tackling internal corruption within security agencies. However, the case also raises critical questions about how such breaches occurred and what measures are being put in place to prevent future occurrences. The successful recovery of the weapons suggests ongoing efforts to combat the diversion of firearms, which often fuels insecurity across the country.
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