NSCDC arrests officers over sale of weapons, recovers AK-47 rifle sold to buyer in Otukpo

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended several officers involved in the illegal sale of service rifles. Babawale Afolabi, a spokesperson for the NSCDC, announced the development to reporters in Abuja on Friday. The investigation, conducted by the Commandant-General's Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), led to the arrest of a NSCDC personnel at headquarters, who had removed an AK-47 rifle from his post and sold it to a buyer in Otukpo, Benue state.

The buyer later resold the weapon to another individual for a higher price. The NSCDC spokesman stated that the main suspect attempted to cover up his actions by attempting to sign out another rifle. In a separate operation, the CG’s SIS uncovered a systematic diversion of two G3 rifles from an NSCDC armoury between 2018 and 2024.

The senior officer involved allegedly sold the rifles to junior personnel for a total of N430,000. The NSCDC's efforts to strengthen armoury accountability and prevent weapons diversion into criminal hands have resulted in the recovery of multiple weapons and the initiation of legal proceedings against the suspects.