Police Mop Up 9657 Firearms, 26,994 bullets in 7 Months

Matilda Omonaiye/

Within seven months of an order by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), officers nationwide have recovered 9,657 assorted firearms and 26,994 bullets.

According to the police, the effort was meant to reduce the prohibited weapons in the hands of militiamen, bandits, herdsmen and vigilante groups in the country.

The police gave the update today in a statement by Acting Deputy Commissioner (ACP) Jimoh Moshood.

Moshood stated that the prohibited firearms recovered included artillery, apparatus for the discharge of any explosives of gas diffusing projectile, rocket weapons, bombs and grenades, Machine-Guns and Machine-Pistols, Military rifles of calibres 7.62mm, 9mm, .300 inches.

Others are revolvers and pistols, whether rifled or unrifled (including flint-lock pistols and cap pistols, pump action guns of all categories and other guns locally made to kill.

The police stated that the firearms recovery, still ongoing, 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/ Farmer’s Clashes, Kidnappings, Armed Robbery, Cattle Rustling, Militancy and Terrorism,” the police spokesman stated.

IGP Ibrahim Idris had on February 21, 2018, directed the Commissioners of Police of all the State Commands of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and their Supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police of the 12 Zonal Commands in the Country, and the Force Headquarters Joint Task Enforcement Team to mop up the prohibited firearms and ammunition and weapons.

After the expiration of the grace period of 21 days, the police swung into actions and embarked on Mop-up, Seizure and Recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition in 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.

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