• As Police arrest vandals on 2nd Niger Bridge
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye yesterday identified Onitsha main market as one of the outlets where dealers on fire arms and ammunition allegedly operate within the southeast zone and warned residents of the state in possession of any prohibited firearms to surrender the weapons or risk jail terms if caught.
The CP who made the disclosure while briefing reporters on achievements of the command within three months of his posting to the state, said the Command would not spare anyone found with prohibited arms, regardless of his status or sponsor.
Answering questions from reporters on the possible source of the arms proliferation after he disclosed that the command recovered 26 firearms and arrested 30 insurgents within the period under review, he attributed the cause to porous borders, local blacksmiths, gun runners and activities of some gunmen who killed security agents and snatched their rifles among others.
He said, “Its common knowledge we have porous borders where arms come in illegitimately, which security agencies are working tirelessly to plug. I can also tell you that weapons are sold in Onitsha main markets. From experience, I’ve personally recovered weapons in the 90s and I think it has even worsened.
“Again, during endSARS, there were series of attacks in various police formations. Military checkpoints attacked, officers killed and their weapons stolen.
“We’re not even talking of local fabrication which Awka town is known for. Anyone we catch with illegal arms or manufacturing will get a long jail term without compromise. I don’t care the person’s status or the backers” he said.
The CP however noted that a period of amnesty has been declared by IGP for those in possession of prohibited firearms to willingly surrender them to the police.
“Anyone complying with this order has nothing to fear as there won’t be arrest or prosecution for such submission of the weapons. All our Area Commanders and DPOs have been briefed of this directive and they won’t embarrass and intimidate those who voluntarily surrender their weapons. Once the IGP announces that the grace period is over, we’ll begin a massive clampdown such that has never been witnessed in this part of the country before now.” He said.
While parading various other suspects including five persons caught vandalising iron railings at the second Niger Bridge, suspected cultists including a young man nabbed with a service pistol on a motorcycle at Nsugbe area, three persons arrested for hijacking a commercial bus with 18 passengers on board and taking them to a hideout for ransom among others, he said the command will never rest on its oars to see that criminal elements are flushed out of the state.