Department of State Services says it recovered weapons from a property along Airport Road, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano.
The DSS also said allegations by a party in the state that the service was intimidating its members is untrue.
Although spokesperson of the secret police, Peter Afunanya, assured of the DSS’ preparedness for the elections, it did not disclose the party involved. But it was learnt that the Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party had earlier accused the DSS of intimidating its members and carrying out raids on its campaign offices in the state.
Afunanya stated that the operation was intelligence-driven, wondering how the weapons were found on the property.
The DSS statement read in part, “To achieve the desired environment for the elections, the Service engaged in proactive and intelligence-led operations across the States. For instance, on February 22, 2023, the Service conducted a legally backed search operation on a property along Airport Road, Nasarawa LGA, Kano State.
“During the operation, it recovered dangerous weapons including a gun, daggers, swords, and ack-knives from the said building.
“Therefore, the accusation that the Service intimidated a particular political party in that State is untrue; otherwise, how come to those weapons were found there? Are those objects of violence campaign materials? Whether in Kano or elsewhere, the DSS has provided equal opportunities for all political parties to engage in their lawful activities. We can say this without any form of contradictions or equivocations.”
The DSS spokesman also said on February 22, 2023, the secret police arrested a gunrunner, Aliyu Yahaya, an associate of Kachalla Damina, a suspected bandit who operates around Dansadau, Zamfara State.
He listed items recovered from him to include one GPMG Rifle; one chain of ammunition, One Hundred and Ninety (190) rounds of GMPG Ammunition, 28 rounds of AK47 Ammunition, and One grenade.
Afunaya added that the suspect was going to deliver the armaments to Damina before he was arrested, saying two arm couriers, namely, Tukur Usman and Illiyasu Adamu were arrested at Chikun LGA, in Kaduna on February 20, 2023.
He added that 372 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm ammunition; twenty-Six (26) rounds of live ammunition for GPMG rifles were recovered from them, stating that the two men were suspected arm suppliers to bandits in Zamfara State.