Police Seize Firearms, Ammunition, Arrest 10 Suspects
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested 10 suspects and recovered two AK-47 rifles, a Type 06 rifle, magazines and 58 rounds of live ammunition in separate intelligence-led operations targeting firearms trafficking and criminal networks across the country.
The operations were conducted by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) attached to the Force Headquarters, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu.
In one of the operations conducted across Imo and Rivers States, eight suspects were arrested over their alleged involvement in a criminal syndicate linked to kidnapping and illegal firearms procurement.
The principal suspect, identified as Mohammadu Sani, was arrested on the outskirts of Owerri, Imo State, in possession of an AK-47 rifle and 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
The police said preliminary investigations showed that Sani had previously operated in Kogi State before relocating to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he allegedly began efforts to rebuild his criminal network.
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Investigators further established alleged links between members of the syndicate and kidnapping operations in parts of Rivers and Imo States.
The police also said the recovered AK-47 was allegedly procured through a firearms trafficking intermediary.
In a separate operation targeting another suspected firearms trafficking syndicate in the North-Central region, police arrested Yakubu Danladi Pam and Abdulsalam Mohammed Hussain.
The operatives recovered one locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, one Type 06 rifle, two magazines and 28 rounds of live ammunition from the suspects.
According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were allegedly involved in the supply, transportation and distribution of firearms across parts of the North-Central and North-Eastern regions.
The Force said efforts had been intensified to identify and apprehend other members of the syndicates and disrupt the illegal movement of firearms used to facilitate kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The police reaffirmed their commitment to intelligence-led operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and preventing the proliferation of illicit firearms across the country.
By PRNigeria
