Police Extend Deadline for Recovery of Prohibited Firearms

It would be recalled that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni, on 21st February, 2018 directed the Commissioners of Police of all the State Commands of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and their Supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police of the Twelve Zonal Commands in the Country; to immediately commence simultaneously throughout the Country, the disarmament and recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunition and weapons in the possession of all suspected Militias, Bandits, Armed Herdsmen and Farmers, Vigilante groups, Neighbourhood watch and other groups or Individual(s) or Bodies bearing prohibited firearms and ammunition, illegal weapons and lethal devices whether locally fabricated, modified or otherwise fashioned to kill or that can cause harm or injury to persons or that can cause panic, fear, apprehension, security breach, breach of Peace or that can cause threat to law and order anywhere in the Country.

Consequently, on expiration of the Twenty One (21) days ultimatum given by the Force for voluntary return of all prohibited firearms in the hands of members of the General Public, individuals and groups such as Vigilantes and neighbourhood watch group in any of the Thirty Six (36) States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) including the Seven Hundred and Seventy Four (774) Local Government Areas of the Federation or Town Unions, Hunters and Watch night men or any group or association under any capacity or guise other than statutory Security Agencies recognized and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category; the Police Joint Task Enforcement Team in compliance with IGP’s directives and working on actionable intelligence, swung into actions and embarked on Mop-up, Seizure and Recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands, suspected Militias, Militants, Criminal/Unlawful Gangs through search, raid and seizure from identified premises, hideouts, dwelling houses, buildings and sites where these illegal/prohibited firearms were kept based on reasonable suspicion and intelligence and recovered the following prohibited/illegal firearms and ammunition:

RECOVERED PROHIBITED FIREARMS

               i.   GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) –     2

             ii.   AK47 Rifles                   –     114

           iii.   SMG Rifles                   –     8

           iv.   Other Assorted Guns            –     301

TOTAL                           –     425

3.    This operation which is still ongoing among other purposes, is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons and will enable the Nigeria Police Force deal decisively with Herders and Farmers Clashes, Kidnappings, Armed Robbery, Cattle Rustling, Militancy and Terrorism etc.

While the Mop-up Operations is still ongoing, the Nigeria Police Force therefore implores Members of the Public who notice anyone bearing, possessing or in custody of any of the prohibited firearms in violation of the Firearms Act anywhere across the country to promptly report such violation to the Force Headquarters’ Police Joint Task Enforcement Team via the following contacts:

DIG Department of Operations: 08037025670

O/C IGP Monitoring Unit: 08032451594

O/C IGP Special Tactical Squad: 08036783383

O/C IGP Intelligence Response Team: 09098049333

They can also report such violations directly to the Commissioners of Police in various Commands across the country through their Phone Contacts, attached hereunder.

The IGP has graciously extended the ultimatum for another 21 days with effect from Monday, 9th April, 2018 – 30th April, 2018. This is as a result of impressive compliance by Nigerians across commands in the Country and also to grant public request for an extension as recorded in some states of the federation.

The renewed commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to guarantee protection of Lives and Property across the country remains unequivocal and unwavering.

ACP JIMOH MOSHOOD

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS

ABUJA