On Thursday, the Directorate of State Services reported finding weapons in a building on Airport Road in Kano’s Nasarawa Local Government Area.
Allegations made by a party in the state that the service was intimidating its members were denied by the service as inaccurate.
While the service claimed that the DSS’s election preparations did not identify the party in a statement by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, investigations by our correspondent revealed that the Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples Party had accused the service of intimidating its members and conducting raids on its campaign offices in the state.
Afunanya questioned how the guns were discovered on the site and claimed that the operation was intelligence-driven.
The statement partly read, “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.”
In addition, according to Afunanya, on February 22, 2023, the Service detained a gunrunner named Aliyu Yahaya, a friend of Kachalla Damina, a reputed bandit who frequents the area around Dansadau, Zamfara State.
One GPMG rifle, one chain of ammunition, 190 rounds of GMPG ammunition, 28 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and one grenade, he claims were found on him. He also claims that the suspect was on his way to deliver the weapons to Damina when he was apprehended.
Also, he stated that Tukur Usman and Illiyasu Adamu, two arm couriers, were detained on February 20, 2023, in Kaduna’s Chikun LGA.
Twenty-six (26) rounds of live ammunition for GPMG rifles and 372 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm ammunition were also found on them, according to Afunanya, who also claimed that the two were allegedly providing weapons to criminals in Zamfara State.
