PRESS RELEASE
28TH FEBRUARY 2018
The Informant247
28-02-2018
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K Idris, NPM, mni. directed the Commissioners of Police in all the commands nationwide to immediately commence the disarmament and recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunition and weapons in possession of all suspected militias, Bandits, Vigilante groups, neighbourhood watch and other groups or individuals /Bodies bearing prohibited, illegal, locally fabricated and modified weapons fashioned to kill or cause harm or injury or panic, fear, apprehension, security breach and breach of peace or threat to law and order in the state. To this end, a Police Joint Task Enforcement Team has been set up by the command and mandated to immediately commence the mop up, seize and recover all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands.
The operation will include cordon and search, Raid, seizure from premises, hide outs, dwelling houses or buildings or sites completed or under construction or any other locations where these firearms and ammunition are reasonably suspected to be kept or being used. Therefore, members of the public, individuals and groups, hunters and watch night men or any other groups under any capacity or guise other than the statutory security agencies recognised or gazetted by the Federal government of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category are currently in possession and using prohibited prohibited/illegal firearms such as Pump Action rifles of all categories and the likes for whatever purposes are hereby warned and given twenty one (21) days from today 28/02/2018 to surrender them to the Commissioner of Police or to the nearest public armoury.
For the avoidance of doubt, the Robbery and Firearms Act Cap R11 LFN 2004 and Firearms Act Cap F 28 LFN 2004 are explicit on punishment for dealing in arms and ammunition. The command therefore, implore concerned citizens, general public, state and local government authorities to prevail on their Vigilantes, neighbourhood watch, civil security outfits and night watch men and others attached to any organisations including public and private institutions in the state to surrender within the 21 days all illegal and prohibited firearms in their possessions to the Police. Anyone found with any firearms after the expiration of the given days will be arrested, investigated and prosecuted. Members of the public who notice anyone bearing, possessing or in custody of the above mentioned firearms across the state are advised to promptly report such to the command’s Joint Task Enforcement Team via the following contacts.
Commissioner of Police: 08115435611
Dep Comm operations ; 08188810695
Dep Comm Ciid ; 09064826108
Assit Comm operation ;08186203098
Assist Comm Ciid; 08037084376
PPRO;08032365122, please.
Dsp Okasanmi Ajayi
Police Public Relations Officer
Kwara state Command
For; Commissioner of Police
Kwara state.