A Nigerian soldier has been apprehended at the Borno Express Terminal in Maiduguri for illegal possession of ammunition.
According to a military source who spoke to SaharaReporters on Friday, the arrest was carried out by the Military Police K9 Team during a routine search operation.
The incident occurred at about 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025. The soldier was found with 350 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition concealed inside a sack bag.
“At about 310945A Jul 25, the above named soldier was arrested by Mp K9 Team on routine search Op at Borno Express Terminal in Maiduguri for unlawful possession of quantity 350 Rounds of 7.62 mm SP ammunition concealed inside a sack bag,” a memo stated.
“Prelim investigation revealed that the soldier is a per of 134 SF Bn. He was granted 18 days welfare pass from Maiduguri to Kaduna spanning from 310600A July 25 to 172359A August 25.”
“The soldier is currently in custody while the investigation is ongoing,” it added.
The arrest of the Nigerian soldier for unlawful possession of 350 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition is not just an isolated breach of military protocol; it reflects the fragile security architecture in a country grappling with insurgency, internal conflict, and arms proliferation.
Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, has long been the epicentre of Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgency.
In January 2025, another soldier was arrested at the same terminal with 89 rounds of ammunition, suggesting a pattern of illicit arms movement
