Military Raid Dismantles Clandestine Arms Hub in Plateau State as Two Fabricators are Taken Into Custody

Nigerian military forces dismantle a sophisticated arms manufacturing hub in Gwandanu. Read about the arrests and seized AK-47 rifles in Plateau.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 24, 2026, 7:48 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Guardian Newspapers

Tactical Raid Targets Illicit Weapons Production

In a major breakthrough against the flow of illegal armaments, the Nigerian military launched a precise tactical raid on a secret manufacturing hub in Gwandanu Village. The operation, executed by troops of Operation Enduring Peace on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, targeted a clandestine facility located within the Langtang North Local Government Area. Upon breaching the site at approximately 5:00 pm, security forces neutralized the production capacity of the hub, which had been serving as a critical supply point for sophisticated firearms used in regional violence.

Arrests and Seizure of Industrial Machinery

During the intervention, two suspects were apprehended while actively engaged in the process of fabricating lethal weapons. Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, the Media Information Officer for Joint Task Force Operation Enduring Peace, confirmed in Jos that the raid uncovered a significant inventory of both finished products and manufacturing equipment. Among the confiscated items were two AK-47 rifles and one G3 rifle, supported by an array of industrial tools including a welding machine, a drilling machine, a hand filler, and two power generating sets.

Assault on Forest Guards Triggers Pursuit

The military's recent successes extended into neighboring Kaduna State, where troops responded to a violent confrontation in Gidan Waya. Armed assailants reportedly launched an attack on members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria and the Forest Guards, prompting an immediate counter offensive. Collaborative forces pursued the attackers toward the Jaginde Forest axis, a known corridor for criminal movement. The pressure from the approaching military units forced the suspects to abandon their motorcycle near Ungwar Maruwa and flee into the surrounding wilderness.