182 illicit arms and 430 ammunitions of various calibres have been recovered by the police across the nation in its efforts to tackle crimes.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement released on Tuesday, March 14, said the arms which were recovered after the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, ordered all Commands and Formations to intensify efforts towards decimating the proliferation of illicit arms and ammunition in the country, will be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The statement read;
MARCH 18 GUBER ELECTIONS: IGP EXTENDS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO COMMANDS/FORMATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE ELECTION SECURITY MANAGEMENT
Orders Continuous Mop-Up of Illicit Arms/Ammunition as Police Recovers 182 Illicit Arms in 1 Month
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, CFR, has extended additional human and logistic support to Commands and Formations across the country for effective election security management during the forthcoming gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections scheduled for Saturday 18th March, 2023. The additional support includes the deployment of personnel, operational vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armor), anti-riot equipment etc.
In the same vein, the IGP has ordered the continuous mop-up of illicit arms and ammunition across the nation as part of efforts of the Force, as the lead agency in internal security management, to curb the trafficking of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) within the country and mitigate any form of insecurity or threats to the ongoing electoral processes and general safety of Nigeria.
The IGP confirmed that within one month from the handover of previously recovered arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) on the 16th of February, 2023, the Nigeria Police has recovered additional 182 sophisticated arms and 430 ammunitions of various calibres. He ordered all Commands and Formations to intensify efforts towards 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.