A disturbing video has surfaced showing what security sources describe as an organised illegal arms market operating openly within a Nigerian town, where suspected bandits and terrorists allegedly advertised sophisticated weapons to armed groups.
According to the footage, obtained by Sahara Reporters, several armed men inside a room stocked with a cache of firearms and ammunition. Boxes filled with bullets are seen stacked across the space, while multiple rifles are displayed openly on the floor.
Some of the individuals attempted to shield their faces from the camera, but a voice speaking in Hausa from behind the lens calmly promoted the weapons as though presenting goods for sale. At one point, the narrator gestures toward armed men dressed in dark clothing and remarks that they are the “owners of the weapons.”
The speaker also boasts about the group’s arsenal, indicating that the weapons were already secured and ready for distribution. He makes reference to different categories of firearms and ammunition visible in the room, projecting confidence about their operational readiness.
Security officials familiar with the video described the development as alarming, warning that it suggests the existence of networks within urban areas supplying weapons to armed groups operating in forests and rural communities.
One security source expressed deep concern over the sophistication of the weapons allegedly being offered, questioning how non-state actors could gain access to such equipment without external backing.
“It raises serious questions about sponsorship and the flow of arms into the country,” the source said, lamenting what he described as a growing imbalance between the firepower of criminal groups and that of frontline security personnel.
The official further warned that the continued proliferation of advanced weapons among armed groups poses a grave threat to public safety and national security, with ordinary citizens bearing the brunt of the violence.
Authorities have yet to release an official statement regarding the footage, but security analysts say the video underscores the urgent need for stronger measures to curb illegal arms trafficking and dismantle supply networks fueling insecurity across the country.