Nasarawa State Police Command has recovered 38 rifles and 4,264 ammunition in separate operations in its relentless fight against criminal elements in the state.
One of the key breakthroughs was the interception of large cache of firearms and ammunition in the forest bordering Kadarako in Keana local government area of the state.
The consignments, which include nine rifles of different grades and make as well as 4,264 ammunition, were said to have been brought in from neighbouring Benue State for onward distribution to criminal partners.
Addressing journalists on the development and other breakthroughs in the relentless fight against criminal elements in the state, the Commissioner of Police, Shettima Mohammed Jauro, said he personally led the onslaught to intercept the arms cache following credible intelligence on September 7 that some criminals were sighted in the forest linking Nasarawa and Benue offloading the consignments.
He said on sighting the advancing team of operatives, the suspects abandoned the consignments and fled deep into the forest.
He gave the breakdown of arms and ammunition recovered from the fleeing suspects to include four AK-49, three AK-47, and one G3 rifles as well as one machine gun respectively.
Also recovered, he explained, were 11 magazines, 4,046 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition; 132 rounds of 38mm ammunition; and 75 cartridges.
The commissioner of police also disclosed another significant breakthrough involving the arrest of gun manufacturers and buyers of the products by the operatives of E’ Division Shabu in Lafia local government area of the state on August 31.
He gave the names of the manufacturers to include James Philip and Alpha Philip, both males of Faferuwa area, Lafia LGA, while the arrested buyers were Usman Abubakar of Shendam Road, Lafia; Yakubu Danladi, Mararaba Akunza, Lafia; Usman Kasimu alias Bobo, Bukan Sidi, Lafia; and Abdullahi Adamu, Bukan Sidi, Lafia respectively.
Items recovered during the operation, according to him, include 13 long-range single-barrel guns; 10 shotguns; and one revolver gun. Other items were swords, gun-manufacturing machines, police uniforms and charms.
He also revealed that an Abuja-based gunrunner, one John Paul, was arrested at a motor park along Akwanga-Wamba with five locally made rifles on September 6, noting that efforts are on to nab his collaborators.
