A suspected terrorist logistics network in Kaduna State, has been intercepted, arresting six suspects allegedly transporting a cache of weapons across state lines and recovering seven firearms, in what the military described as another major blow to the supply chain sustaining criminal and terrorist activities in the North.
The operations was carried but by troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE at about 9:40 a.m. on Monday, July 13, 2026, during a stop-and-search exercise at the Samaru checkpoint in Zonkwa District of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Military authorities said the suspects were intercepted while travelling in an ash-coloured Mercedes-Benz bearing registration number EDO GUE-722-LV, en route from Jos, Plateau State, to Niger State, a route security agencies have continued to monitor over concerns about the movement of arms and logistics to criminal groups.
According to the military, the operation formed part of the Joint Task Force’s sustained offensive strategy aimed at dismantling terrorist support networks, disrupting logistics channels and denying armed groups freedom of movement within the Operation ENDURING PEACE Joint Operations Area.
Preliminary investigations revealed that six occupants of the vehicle were arrested after troops searched the vehicle and uncovered a cache of weapons allegedly being transported to their destination.
Items recovered during the operation were three AK-47 rifles, four sub-machine guns, and the Mercedes-Benz vehicle used for the journey.
Security sources disclosed that the suspects admitted during preliminary interrogation that they had travelled from Jos and were heading towards Niger State before they were intercepted by troops.
The operation briefly turned dramatic when one of the suspects attempted to escape from custody during the interception. Troops swiftly responded, immobilising the suspect before he could flee.
Military authorities said he sustained injuries during the failed escape attempt, remains in stable condition and is cooperating with investigators.
The recovered weapons, vehicle and all six suspects have been taken into military custody, where they are undergoing detailed interrogation as intelligence operatives work to uncover the wider network behind the alleged arms movement.
Military authorities believe the arrests could provide valuable intelligence capable of exposing terrorist logistics routes, collaborators and weapons suppliers operating across several North-Central and North-West states.
The latest breakthrough underscores the renewed operational tempo of Operation ENDURING PEACE, which has intensified intelligence-led operations, checkpoint surveillance and targeted interdictions to cut off the movement of arms, ammunition and other supplies to terrorist and criminal groups.
The Joint Task Force also appealed to residents to sustain their cooperation with security agencies by providing credible intelligence on suspicious movements and unfamiliar individuals within their communities.
In a statement signed by Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, the military reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining aggressive operations against terrorists and their logistics networks, stressing that every successful interception further weakens the operational capability of armed groups threatening peace and security across the region.
