Abuja, March 14, 2023 – The Nigeria Police said that it recovered at least 182 sophisticated arms and 430 ammunition of various calibres in the last one month.
CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police Spokesman, said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.
It said that these included vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armor) and anti-riot equipment, among others.
The police said it would deploy additional police officers across the 28 states where the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections are scheduled to hold.
It said that the redeployment was aimed at extending additional human and logistic support to commands and formations across the country.
The recoveries are the second by the police in 2023 in the effort to curb the trafficking of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) within the country, while mitigating any form of insecurity or threats to the ongoing electoral processes and general safety of Nigeria.
On February 16, the police said it recovered 2,358 assorted calibres of ammunition; 1,057 assorted cartridges, 265 automatic rifles; 146 pump action guns; 1,909 locally fabricated pistols; 1,500 locally made single barrel guns; 98 locally made double barrel guns; 46 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMGs); 16 locally made rocket launchers; two locally made Anti-Aircraft (AA) guns and seven Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs).
“Consequently, the IGP ordered all commands and formations to intensify efforts toward decimating the proliferation of illicit arms and ammunition in the country.
“Furthermore, the Inspector-General of Police has charged all Strategic Police Managers to deploy the additional distributed operational assets and manpower to ensure the emplacement of a proper security arrangement for the upcoming elections as all hands must be on deck to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and secure environment,” the statement said. (GBN)
