Police Move to Mop Up Illegal Firearms, Ammunition in Enugu

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

From Ignatius Okpara

ENUGU NIGERIA, (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As part of measure to ensure that illegal firearms and ammunition are not in wrong hands, the Enugu State Police Command has set-up a joint departmental task-force to mop-up such weapons in the state.

The State’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Danmallam, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the police headquarters in Enugu, the State capital.

He said the development followed the recent directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, on firearms and ammunition in Nigeria.

Dan Mallam hinted that he had appointed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations, Mr. Frank Idu, to head the task-force team.

According to him, the joint departmental task-force would comprise personnel from State and Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad [SARS], Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department and mobile police units.

He added: “The task-force will ensure the mop-up of all illegal firearms and ammunition in the state as well as stop all militia groups.

“The task-force will ensure that everybody holding illegal firearms and ammunition will be prosecuted”.

Dan Mallam however advised all persons with firearms and ammunition to re-verify and re-validate them in the Command within the next two weeks.

He said anyone caught with illegal firearms and ammunition without due authorization would henceforth be prosecuted according to the relevant laws of the country.

“If you have firearms and ammunition with expired licence or not duly registered; you must re-verify and re-validate at the command now.” he said.

The Enugu Police boss stated that the task-force enforcement would be total; as the command want members of the public to give information on people holding such illegal firearms and ammunition to the police.

“Everybody should assist the police and command on this issue; members of the public and especially journalists would do well to give us intelligence information.

The Police Commissioner said Enugu State has no militia group till now and has remained very peaceful for over two years.