From Paul Orude Bauchi
Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Umar Mamman Sanda warned individuals and groups still having firearms in their passion to voluntarily submit same or risk arrest and prosecution.
Sanda has ordered all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Heads of Tactical/Operational Departments in the Command to intensify efforts to identify, disarm arrest and prosecute any quasi security outfits, person or group of persons in possession of firearms prohibited by law.
The Commissioner of Police’s order, which was issued in a press release he signed and issued to the press on Friday, followed the directives of the Inspector General of Police IGP Alkali Usman Baba with regards to the proliferation of Prohibited firearms in the country.
In the release, the CP further directed all Divisional Police Officers to, “with immediate effect organise enlightenment meetings for members of, Vigilante groups, forest guards, Hunters and all other Local Security outfits within their areas of responsibility to ensure they operate in conformity with the extant laws guiding their establishment and operations.
“Respective Area Commanders are to coordinate, Supervise and report the outcome of such meetings to the CP forthwith; all local Quasi security outfits who operate offices where they arrest and detain persons is hereby declared illegal and anyone found flouting this order will be arrested and prosecuted.
“The CP wishes to inform all persons or groups unlawfully bearing prohibited firearms to with immediate effect, submit same to the nearest Police Station for deposition with the State Armoury, as offenders will be arrested and prosecuted under the relevant provision of the firearms Act”
It will be recalled that the Bauchi State police command on Tuesday handed over recovered arms and ammunitions to the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The recovered items were handed over to the officials of NCCSALW by the Commissioner of Police, Umar Mamman Sanda.
Sandal said the effort was in line with the Federal Government’s determination to stop senseless bloodletting and insecurity in the country fueled by Small Arms & Light Weapons (SALW)
The recovered weapons according to the CP include 25 AK-47 rifles, 1 Locally made SMG, 1 locally made Fabricated AK47,1 English Barretta and One magazine.
Others are, 2 P/Barretta, 29 Rusted/unserviceable locally made P/catridges, 27 Rusted/unserviceable locally made revolver and 1 locally made Dane Gun.
On the recovered ammunitions, Sanda disclosed that 874.6mm, 5,022 (5.56mm),
113 (9X19mm), 274 (62.7mm) and 177 (38mm), among others.
“The effort is to stop senseless bloodletting and insecurity occasioned by Small Arms and Light Weapons in circulation within our communities by mopping up all illicit weapons; as well as control the proliferation of all weapons in the holdings of all arms bearing agencies/organizations in the country,” he said.
The CP recalled that President Mohammadu Buhari had approved the establishment of NCCSALW in March 2021 to control Small Arms and Light Weapons at all levels of the polity and to mainstream illicit SALW eradication efforts.
He urged members of the public to support the Government in its efforts to eradicate illicit SALW in circulation and by extension, promote an illicit arms- free society.
In his remark during the handing over, the Director Operations of (NCCSALW), CP Chris Owolabi, commended the efforts of the Bauchi state police command in recovering the Arms and ammunitions.