Why I became a gun-runner – Bauchi man

A Bauchi State-based man, Taimako Mato, arrested alongside four others has disclosed the reason behind his decision to join a gun-running syndicate to supply arms and ammunition to terrorists.

Mato disclosed this while being paraded at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Tuesday.

According to the resident of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, he possessed his first ammunition after some Boko Haram members attacked his community in 2015 but were repelled by security operatives and youths in the area.

He added that the Boko Haram terrorists fled and left their vehicles containing the ammunition which he carted away at the time.

In his words, “My name is Taimako Mato. I am 38 years old. I am from Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. I got this gun after some Boko Haram (members) attacked my community two days after the 2015 elections but the youth and security agents chased them which forced them to leave their vehicle.

“The youths decided to burn their vehicle so I searched the vehicle before it was burned and carted a bag containing the gun and some ammunition. I took this bag because it was what I could pick before the vehicle was burnt.”

When asked why he decided to sell the ammunition, Mato noted that family challenges forced him to do it.

He however disclosed that he regretted his decision to have collaborated with other members of the gun-running syndicate.

“I decided to sell the gun because of family challenges. I know that it is criminal to possess prohibited firearms but I do not intend to be a criminal.”

Mato further appealed to individuals who might consider starting a gun-running business and those already in the trade to reconsider their decision as it is not a lucrative business.

“I am advising those who have not gone into this business and those who are into it to stop because the business appears lucrative outside but when you start it, you will realise it is not.

“You will just be suffering in it and be punished by the law. My advice for criminals is to come and surrender their weapons,” Mato said.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumiuyiwa Adejobi, had disclosed during the briefing that Mato alongside four others was arrested in its effort to curb the proliferation of firearms.

He said Mato was the head of the syndicate who specialised in procuring weapons and selling them to other members for onward distribution to criminal elements.

“In more recent events, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have made outstanding breakthroughs in the fight against several types of violent crimes across the country, one of which is the dismantling and arresting of a gunrunning syndicate operating in the Bauchi-Plateau region.

“The suspects, identified as Taimako Mato, ‘m’; John Danladi, ‘m’; Mohammed Munkail, ‘m’; Manasseh William, ‘m’, and Muhammadu Haddi, ‘m’, were arrested with 1 PKT machine gun, 40 rounds of 37.2mm and 95 rounds of 62mm cartridge ammunition.

“The leader of the syndicate, Taimako Mato, was a weapon handling instructor at a Boko Haram camp, who procures these prohibited weapons and passes them on to the other members of the syndicate to sell to various buyers,” Adejobi disclosed.