In a statement on Saturday, the spokesman for Operation Safe Haven, Major Samson Zhakom, said the latest gunrunners were arrested at a hotel in Bokkos LG of the state and were taken into custody.

The statement read, “Barely 72 hours after the arrest of 5 notorious gunrunners leading to the recovery of automatic weapons and about 6,000 rounds of assorted ammunition at Bayameni along Bauchi Road in Jos North LGA of Plateau State on 17 September 2024, Operation Safe Haven conducted follow on operations in Bokkos Town, Bokkos LGA of Plateau State on 18 September 2024.

“During the intelligence-based sting operations, security agencies busted another criminal syndicate while finalizing transactions for sales of arms and ammunition amounting to Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) at Banana Island Hotel in Bokkos. Consequently, 2 notorious gunrunners identified as Matawal Bitrus and Thomas Benedict were apprehended and the following automatic weapons were recovered: Two AK-47 Rifles; One Automatic Pistol; Two AK-47 magazines and One Baretta Pistol Magazine.

“The suspects have been taken into custody for interrogation to extract information to arrest other members of the gunrunning syndicate on the run. The latest arrest of gunrunners and recovery of arms and ammunition from both Jos North and Bokkos LGAs confirms the assertion that criminality is not defined by any ethno-religious boundary.”

The statement described criminality as a common enemy that must be jointly tackled to afford law-abiding citizens the freedom to carry out their socio-economic endeavours without fear.

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