A recently recruited Forest Guard trainee and son of the traditional ruler of Karaduwa, Zahiruddin Abdullahi Karaduwa, has been arrested alongside a woman identified as Sahiba over allegations of supplying ammunition to suspected bandits operating around Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Zahiruddin, who identified himself in a viral video seen by reporters as the son of the Mai Garin Karaduwa while speaking in Hausa, admitted during questioning that he supplied ammunition to Sahiba, who allegedly transported the ammunition to suspected bandits.
The development comes amid heightened security concerns in Katsina State, where armed groups have continued to operate in several communities and rural areas.
In the video, Zahiruddin was questioned about his involvement in the movement and supply of ammunition to suspected bandits.
At the beginning of the questioning, he identified himself as “Zahiruddin Abdullahi Karaduwa” and confirmed that his father, Abdullahi, is the Mai Garin Karaduwa, or traditional ruler of Karaduwa.
Asked whether he had been subjected to coercion or pressured by security authorities to make the statements, Zahiruddin denied being forced.
“I was not subjected to anything,” he said when asked whether anyone had coerced him.
He also denied being pressured to tell the truth and confirmed that he was willing to answer the questions.
The questioning later turned to his relationship with Sahiba, the woman allegedly involved in the movement of the ammunition.
Asked whether he knew her, Zahiruddin replied, “Yes, I know her.”
When asked to identify her, he said, “Sahiba.”
The interviewer then confronted him with an allegation attributed to Sahiba that there was a business between them and that they were involved in supplying ammunition to forest terrorists.
“That is correct,” Zahiruddin responded.
Asked to clarify the allegation, he added, “It is true.”
The interviewer then asked whether he supplied ammunition to Sahiba, who subsequently transported it to the suspected bandits.
“Yes,” Zahiruddin replied.
According to his account, the alleged ammunition transfers occurred several times.
Asked how many times he had given ammunition to Sahiba, he said, “Six times.”
Zahiruddin was subsequently asked where he obtained the ammunition before handing it over to Sahiba.
“I got it from Kano,” he said.
When the interviewer asked from whom he obtained the ammunition, Zahiruddin identified the person only as Muhammad.
“From someone named Muhammad,” he said.
Asked to confirm that the person was Muhammad, he replied, “Yes.”
The questioning also sought to establish who received the ammunition after it was moved from Kano.
According to Zahiruddin, the person associated with receiving the ammunition was known as “Mai Nono.”
Asked to clarify whether Mai Nono was the person receiving the ammunition, the questioning proceeded to the payment made in connection with the transactions.
When asked how much he was paid for each round of ammunition delivered, Zahiruddin said the arrangements were made through the person from whom he collected the ammunition.
“They communicate with the person I’m getting it from,” he said
He explained that his role involved collecting the items he had been instructed to pick up and delivering them to the designated person.
“When I go, I collect what I was sent to collect from him and deliver it to the person,” he said.
Asked how much he received as payment for his role, Zahiruddin said the amount varied depending on the circumstances.
“Sometimes he gave me ₦30,000, sometimes ₦20,000, depending on the circumstances,” he said.
The questioning continued after the disclosure.
The arrests come against the backdrop of persistent security challenges in Katsina State, particularly in rural communities affected by attacks, kidnapping and other criminal activities attributed to armed groups.