Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command has confiscated 46 firearms ranging from AK47s, locally made pistols, and other weapons including machetes and daggers in different parts of Benue State.
Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, who disclosed this while showcasing the recovered arms and ammunitions to newsmen on Thursday, said the confiscation was in line with the gun seizure directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.
“We are here to showcase our achievements and results of the directive of IGP with regards to mopping up of firearms. The Command has been working to operationalize the directive since it was given. The Command has been able to recover 46 firearms of different make ranging from AK47, locally made pistols with 126 rounds of live ammunition, four AK47 magazines and five cartridges.”
While disclosing that the police would be focusing on seizing prohibited firearms from those in possession, Owoseni said a standing task force had been constituted to recover the firearms even as he appealed to those who are in possession of any prohibited weapons to hand them in with immediate effect.
“We had focused on prohibited firearms with other weapons that fall within the category of what the criminal laws criminalizes. There is a standing task force which is still working. We will further this by coming out more forcefully.
“We are therefore appealing to those who have these prohibited firearms to return them to the police, else we have a way of recovering them. We have a record of those who by default have been given licenses for pump action rifles. We enjoin them to quickly return these weapons. There have been concerns that the weapons they have were licensed. We will join hands with innocent Nigerians to ensure a secure state and secure Nigeria.”
The Police Commissioner also enjoined those who are in the habit of covering their plate numbers or in possession of spy plate numbers, improvised tinted glasses, and illegal sirens to remove them forthwith.
“May I reiterate that inasmuch as the use of tinted glasses is regulated, tinted glasses that are improvised are not permitted by law. [We urge] members of the public to understand that the police is not doing anything outside the law,” he stated.