The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reportedly arrested a man said to be in possession of a firearm in a church in Bokkos LGA, Plateau state, on Sunday.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the incident occurred at about 8:30 am when operatives of the NSCDC, acting on intelligence, apprehended the suspect during a routine security patrol around the church compound.
“The suspect was found in possession of a gun and could not provide any satisfactory explanation or legal documentation for it. The swift action of our operatives helped prevent what could have escalated into a serious security breach,” a source told Zagazola.
Photos said to be that of the suspect holding a firearm have been circulating online.
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Afolabi Babawale, the NSCDC spokesperson, has not yet responded to TheCable’s request for confirmation of the incident.
The publication said authorities have not released the suspect’s identity as they continue their preliminary investigations.
On April 4, the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) reported that suspected bandits killed over 10 people in the area, with the death toll later rising to 52.
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The attack came seven days after some gunmen attacked the Ruwi community, in Bokkos LGA of the state.
Speaking about rising attacks in Plateau, Caleb Mutfwang, governor of Plateau, said bandits have taken over 64 communities in his state.
He added that the latest killings in Bokkos LGA are “sponsored and genocidal”.
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