Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE have uncovered and dismantled two illegal arms manufacturing factories in Vom, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, arresting five suspects allegedly involved in the production of firearms.
The raid, carried out by the Quick Response Force (QRF) on Thursday, May 7, 2026, followed what military authorities described as extensive intelligence gathering and strategic surveillance aimed at disrupting the supply chain of illicit weapons within the Joint Operations Area.
According to a statement issued on Friday by Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, troops caught the suspects in the act of fabricating weapons during the coordinated operation. Security operatives subsequently recovered a large cache of arms, ammunition components, and industrial equipment from the illegal factories.
Items recovered include nine fabricated AK-47 rifles, one locally made pistol, four empty AK-47 magazines, seven skeletal AK-47 rifles, and 10 rifle butts. Troops also seized 36 empty shells of 7.62mm special ammunition, four revolver engines, 14 recoiling springs, six hand drilling machines, nine filing machines, four welding machines, and other industrial tools allegedly used for weapon production.
The military said the suspects and all recovered items are currently in custody for further investigation and exploitation, while troops continue covert operations to track down additional arms and ammunition believed to still be in circulation.
Operation ENDURING PEACE also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely information to security agencies to aid ongoing efforts to combat criminal activities and restore peace in the region.
