Police arrest Transborder Arms dealers, recover 17 Guns

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The Nigeria Police announced on Friday that its operatives have arrested five suspects allegedly involved in transborder gun-running.

In a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, identified the suspects as Adamu Noma, Matthew Audu, Andrew Poyi, Aminu Sani, and Aminu Talha, all male.

The arrests were carried out by operatives of the Force Investigative Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) on 18 November 2024.

Commitment to Security

“The Nigeria Police Force, in its unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, continues to work tirelessly to prevent and combat all forms of crime and criminality,” the statement read.

“These relentless efforts are yielding results, as the Force has successfully apprehended five suspects involved in transborder gun-running.”

Weapons Recovered

Adejobi disclosed that during the arrest and subsequent searches, the operatives recovered 10 locally fabricated AK-47 rifles, five Israeli AK-47 rifles, one revolver pistol, one pump-action rifle, 20 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and a welding machine used for fabricating rifles.

“These achievements, along with numerous others recorded by police operatives across the country, reflect the steadfastness and commitment of the current police leadership to eradicating criminal activities and ensuring national security,” he added.

Crackdown on Illegal Arms

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun reiterated his directive to the Force, particularly its tactical units, to intensify efforts to confiscate illegal arms and ammunition. He emphasised the need to dismantle local manufacturers of illicit weapons and dangerous arms by all available means.