A suspected gun runner has disappeared after collecting ₦95 million from a bandit leader in Katsina State with a promise to procure and deliver high-grade firearms.
The alleged incident reportedly occurred in Matazu Local Government Area, where the intermediary was said to have received the money before vanishing without supplying the weapons. The claim has attracted widespread attention online due to the unusual circumstances surrounding the failed arms deal.
The development was disclosed by Abdullahi Aliyu, popularly known as General, the lawmaker representing Musawa/Matazu Federal Constituency, during an interview with NTA Hausa. According to him, the suspect has not been seen since collecting the money.
Failed arms deal heightens security concerns
Aliyu linked the incident to rising tension across the Matazu axis, alleging that a feared bandit leader identified as Kachalla Maha withdrew from existing peace agreements following the failed transaction.
He further claimed that the bandit faction has since intensified pressure on nearby communities by imposing heavy levies and livestock-based extortion on vulnerable villages, worsening security concerns in the area.
The lawmaker’s account has fuelled fresh discussions about the illegal arms trade and its role in sustaining banditry across Nigeria’s North-West.
Mixed reactions trail report
The report has generated mixed reactions on social media, with many Nigerians expressing surprise that a suspected criminal figure was defrauded in an illicit transaction.
Others, however, questioned the authenticity of the claims, noting that security agencies have yet to issue an official statement confirming the alleged ₦95 million scam or the disappearance of the suspected intermediary.