Nigeria Police it has recovered illegally acquired 81 riffles and 300 live ammunition from Taraba and Gombe states in northeast of the country, in an on going mop up operations to contain insecurity in the zone.
Displaying the recovered arms and ammunition before newsmen on Friday in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, the state commissioner of police, David Akinremi, said, “52 firearms and 300 live ammunition recovery is the first phase of the operation which began last month February.”
The command, he said, would not rest on its oars until “we completely mop up all illegally acquired fire arms from the hands of individuals.”
The fire arms so far recovered from individuals include 5 AK47 rifles, 1 G3 rifle, 2 K2 rifles, 3 LAR rifles, 2 Pump Action rifles, 2 Double Barrel rifles, 13 Single Barrel rifles, 28 locally made pistols and 300 rounds of ammunition”
The commissioner who stated that the command had earlier given 21 day ultimatum for voluntary submission of such Fire arms, said while those that complied would go unpunished, the long arm of the law would be stretched out to defaulters.
The task force assigned with the responsibility of recovering illegal fire arms from the nooks and crannies of the state, he said, has been operating successfully following credible information being made available to the command by the public.
According to him, “the retrieval of these illegal arms and ammunition came as a result of tip off obtained by the Task Force when they visited Ardo-Kola” and other areas where the arms were recovered.
The commissioner who explained that the ongoing operation is different from that of the military tagged ‘Operation Ayem Akpatuma’ urged the public to continue to give the much needed helping hands to the command.
Akinremi was optimistic that the command would triumph in its quest to rid the state of illegal arms and ammunition “All we are requesting from the public is maximum cooperation and to report criminal activities to us for effective performance and good delivery.”
At a similar event in Gombe, the state police Commissioner, Shina Olukolu said the Command recovered 25 firearms from individuals in the State who acquired them illegally or inherited them without license, adding that the owners surrendered them voluntarily.
Olukolu said that the command had earlier announced that those in possession of illegally acquired weapons should surrender them within one month.
The recovered firearms included 15 dane guns, three pump action guns, two single barrel guns and five locally fabricated pistols.
The Commissioner of Police also paraded a 30-year-old man, Adamu Idris of Jekadafari quarters, Gombe, over alleged criminal conspiracy and theft.
The Police Boss said that the suspect stole 16 CD batteries with 12 volts each, at an MTN Telecommunications masts at Tunfure village in Akko Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the suspect would be arraigned as soon as investigation into the matter was completed.
Meanwhile the commissioner has presented a commendation letter and cash award to one Corporal Yohanna Musa of Gombe Division of the Police Command for excellent performance.
Corporal Musa was said to have rejected two hundred and fifty thousand Naira offered him by a suspected motorcyclist theft in the state capital.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/02/27/news/nigeria-police-refutes-withdrawal-of-personnel-from-operation-theatre-in-benue-state/
