In a chilling confession, Taimako Mato, a 38-year-old man from Bauchi State, has unveiled the startling chain of events that led him to become a key figure in a notorious gun-running syndicate supplying deadly weapons to terrorists. Mato, along with four other accomplices, was paraded by the Nigeria Police Force at its headquarters in Abuja, where he revealed how a fateful encounter with Boko Haram in 2015 set him on a dangerous path of arming criminal elements across the country.
Mato’s journey into the dark underworld of illegal arms trade began with a Boko Haram attack on his community in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Recalling the chaos of that day, Mato explained that the terrorists launched a vicious attack just two days after the 2015 general elections, with the aim of destabilizing the region. However, the insurgents were met with fierce resistance from local youths and security forces, who fought them off, forcing the attackers to flee, leaving behind their vehicles and weapons.
“I still remember that day clearly,” Mato recounted. “The terrorists stormed our community with the intention to wreak havoc, but the youths, along with security forces, stood up to them. After a long struggle, we successfully repelled the attack. In their desperation, the terrorists abandoned their vehicle filled with ammunition and fled.”
In the chaos that followed, Mato made a fateful decision that would alter the course of his life. Before the vehicle was set ablaze by the youths, he scavenged through its contents and found a bag filled with weapons and ammunition. Believing he was simply taking what was left behind, he carted away the arms. “I took the bag because it was something I could grab quickly before the vehicle was destroyed,” Mato confessed. “At the time, I didn’t realize the weight of what I was doing.”
That single act opened the door to a life of crime, as Mato began selling the weapons to criminal elements. Financial difficulties, according to Mato, pushed him to engage in the illegal arms trade. He acknowledged that he was aware of the criminal implications of possessing prohibited firearms but felt he had no other choice due to the pressures of supporting his family.
“I know that it is a crime to possess firearms illegally, but I was desperate,” Mato admitted. “Family challenges pushed me to sell the weapons, but it’s a decision I deeply regret now. I never intended to become a criminal. I just wanted to take care of my family.”
Mato’s involvement in the gun-running business quickly escalated, and he became a key figure in a syndicate responsible for supplying arms and ammunition to terrorists and criminals operating in the Bauchi-Plateau region and beyond. His operation, which included the procurement and distribution of various high-caliber weapons, flourished for years before finally coming to an end at the hands of the Nigerian police.
During the parade, the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, Olumiuyiwa Adejobi, revealed that Mato and his gang were caught with an array of deadly weapons, including a PKT machine gun, 40 rounds of 37.2mm ammunition, and 95 rounds of 62mm cartridges. Adejobi further explained that Mato was not just a gun runner, but a former weapon-handling instructor for Boko Haram. His knowledge of firearms made him a valuable asset to criminal networks, as he was able to procure and pass on prohibited weapons to other syndicate members, who in turn sold them to various buyers.
“In a major breakthrough, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force successfully dismantled and arrested a gun-running syndicate operating in the Bauchi-Plateau region,” Adejobi stated. “This syndicate, led by Taimako Mato, specialized in procuring arms and distributing them to criminal elements across the region. Mato, along with his four accomplices, was apprehended with a significant cache of firearms.”
The other members of Mato’s gang were identified as John Danladi, Mohammed Munkail, Manasseh William, and Muhammadu Haddi, all of whom played various roles in the illicit trade. They were captured during a special operation aimed at curbing the spread of illegal firearms in the region.
Faced with the reality of his actions, Mato has now turned to regret. Speaking at length during his public confession, he warned others who might be considering entering the gun-running business to reconsider their decisions. According to him, while the trade may appear lucrative from the outside, it is fraught with danger, suffering, and ultimately, legal punishment.
“I want to tell anyone thinking of joining this business to stop and rethink their decision,” Mato said. “It might look profitable, but when you are inside it, you realize that it’s not. You will just suffer and eventually be caught and punished by the law. I deeply regret my actions and urge others to surrender their weapons and walk away from this life.”
Mato’s emotional plea to criminals to abandon the trade is now seen as a sobering reflection on the consequences of illegal arms dealing in Nigeria, where the proliferation of firearms has contributed significantly to the rise in violent crimes and terrorism. As the police continue their efforts to clamp down on criminal networks across the country, Mato’s arrest serves as a powerful reminder of the inevitable downfall that awaits those who choose to walk down the path of crime.
In the meantime, the Nigeria Police Force has reaffirmed its commitment to combating the illegal arms trade and securing communities across the country. Adejobi assured the public that more arrests would follow, as the police continue to dismantle criminal syndicates and confiscate dangerous weapons from the streets.
With the arrest of Mato and his syndicate, the authorities have struck a significant blow against the proliferation of arms in the Bauchi-Plateau region, though the fight is far from over.
Peoplesmind
