DSS Thwarts Major Arms Supplier, Strikes Blow Against Terror Networks in Plateau

In a decisive blow against criminal and terror networks in northern Nigeria, the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Musa Abubakar, a suspected arms manufacturer and supplier linked to violent armed groups terrorizing Plateau State and surrounding regions.
Abubakar was apprehended on 12 November 2025 after precise intelligence led DSS operatives to his clandestine weapons-production facility in Mista Ali, Bassa LGA. According to sources, he admitted to producing and distributing high-calibre firearms and ammunition to criminal gangs responsible for recurring attacks that have left communities in fear.
Authorities recovered components for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), chemicals, and other arms-manufacturing equipment, all now in DSS custody as part of ongoing investigations. The arrest comes just weeks after the recapture of notorious terrorist commander Abdulazeez Obadaki, aka Bomboy, infamous for the Owo church attack and the 2012 Deeper Life Church massacre.
Security experts say these operations mark a turning point in the fight against the proliferation of illegal arms in Nigeria. “This is more than an arrest,” said a DSS source. “It’s a dismantling of networks that have fueled terror and insecurity for years.”
The operation follows earlier DSS successes, including the arrest of nine high-profile suspects involved in violent attacks across Plateau and Benue States, notably Timna Manjol of Mangu LGA, who has already pleaded guilty to illegal firearms possession.
For residents of Plateau and neighboring states, the message is clear: DSS is intensifying efforts to restore safety, and those fueling violence will no longer operate with impunity