Three suspected gunrunners have been killed with their weapons recovered in a border town in Sokoto State.

Confirming the incident on Wednesday via a statement, Army spokesman, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said the suspects who operated around the Sabo Birni area of the state were neutralised on Tuesday.

The operation followed credible information of gunrunners moving weapons on foot from the Niger Republic into Nigeria around 11 pm.

“The highly vigilant troops mounted a successful ambush along the suspected route close to Garin Naimaimai Village and neutralised the three gunrunners,” the statement partly read.

Items recovered include RPG bombs and RPG chargers, machine gun, AK-47 assault rifles and other accessories as well as the different caliber of assorted ammunition.

On his part, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya commended the efforts of the troops.

He also asked them to “sustain operational in dominating all the illegal routes around the border areas with the Niger Republic to frustrate any movement of weapons and ammunition into the country.” (Channels TV)

·File: Sokoto, usually referred to as Sokoto State to distinguish it from the city of Sokoto, is located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River