“AK-47 for N700,000”: NSCDC Uncovers Systematic Arms Diversion, Arrests Officers Over Illegal Sale of Service Rifles

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has uncovered an alleged diversion and illegal sale of service rifles by some personnel, with one officer selling an AK-47 rifle for N700,000 to a buyer in Otukpo.

In a separate investigation, the Corps uncovered the systematic diversion of two G3 rifles from an NSCDC armoury between 2018 and 2024.

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Network gathered that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered an alleged diversion and illegal sale of service rifles by some personnel.

The NSCDC Spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, briefed newsmen about the illegal activities on Friday, September 4, 2026, in Abuja.

He said the investigation led to the arrest of an NSCDC personnel at the headquarters who was found to be complicit in the crime.

The investigation and arrest were carried out by the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) , headed by Commander Dandaura Appollos.

How the AK-47 Was Diverted

Afolabi said that the unnamed personnel, after his shift, allegedly removed an AK-47 rifle from his post instead of returning it to the armoury. Investigations revealed that the personnel concealed the rifle in two polythene bags, abandoned his duty post without authorisation and transported the weapon to Otukpo in Benue.

“The investigation revealed that the officer subsequently delivered the rifle to someone in Otukpo under a prior arrangement for N700,000 Naira,” he said.

The buyer then allegedly resold the AK-47 to an illicit arms buyer known as IBB for the sum of N800,000 Naira.

Attempt to Conceal the Offence

The Public Relations Officer further said that the main suspect attempted to conceal the offence when questioned about the missing weapon and allegedly tried to sign out another rifle.

“Through covert tracking, surveillance and tactical interrogation, the intelligence team apprehended the principal suspects and recovered the AK-47 rifle,” he said.

Systematic Diversion of G3 Rifles

In a similar operation, the CG’s SIS uncovered an alleged systematic diversion of two G3 rifles from an NSCDC armoury between 2018 and 2024.

The investigation involved a personnel who was involved in the alleged illicit act while serving as the head of armoury in the NSCDC Adamawa command.

The senior officer allegedly removed the rifles from the store without authorisation and sold them to junior personnel in separate transactions for N210,000 and N220,000 respectively.

“The investigation further revealed that the personnel allegedly resold the rifles to a civilian,” Afolabi said.

Falsifying Records

To conceal the alleged disappearance of the firearms during routine stocktaking, the senior officer reportedly falsified weekly armoury records.

“After physical counting of available weapons by his assistant, he allegedly altered the register by handwriting the serial numbers of the missing rifles into the stock records. The manipulation allegedly created the impression that the firearms remained physically present in the armoury,” he said.

Legal Proceedings Underway

Afolabi said the CG’s SIS investigation exposed the pattern, leading to the recovery of confessional and other evidentiary statements from key actors.”Internal disciplinary procedures against errant officers have been concluded.

The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, has directed the Directorate of Legal Services (DLS) to immediately institute legal proceedings against all suspects across these four segments in courts of competent jurisdiction,” he said.

A Lesson for Nigerian Youths

This is a stark reminder that the people entrusted with protecting us are sometimes the ones arming criminals.

The same politicians who speak of security will never allow their own children to be victims of weapons diverted from state armouries.

Their children are protected.

For young Nigerians, the lesson is clear: corruption knows no bounds. When security personnel sell weapons to criminals, everyone is at risk.

The same politicians who benefit from this illicit trade will never allow their own children to be caught in the crossfire.

Demand accountability. Support reforms. And never forget that a nation that cannot secure its own weapons cannot secure its people.