Nigeria Police Force on Monday said the Joint Enforcement Task Force constituted by Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, recovered 425 illegal and prohibited firearms from the public.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that categories of the prohibited arms include: Artillery — apparatus for the discharge of any explosives of gas diffusing projectile, Rocket — weapons, Bombs and Grenades.
Others are: Machine-Guns and Machine-Pistols, Military rifles, those of calibers 7.62mm, 9mm, .300 inches, Revolvers and Pistols whether rifled or unrifled (including flint-lock pistols and cap pistols), Pump action gun of all categories and any other firearm/lethal weapon fabricated to kill.
The I-G recently gave a February 22 to March 14 deadline for the return of prohibited firearms to police.
The Force Spokesman, ACP Jimoh Moshood, who made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the ongoing of recovery of prohibited firearms in Abuja on Monday, said the deadline had been extended to April 30, with effect from April 9.
Moshood said: “The I-G has graciously extended the ultimatum for another 21 days with effect from April 9 to April 30.
“This is as a result of impressive compliance by Nigerians across commands in the country and also to grant public request for an extension.”
The spokesman added that the recovery was achieved by members of the Joint Task Force constituted by the inspector-general of police.
He said firearms recovered include: 114 AK 47 rifles, 17 English made pistols, 27 pump action gun, 28 barrel gun, 21 locally made revolver guns, Sub Machine Guns, two General Purpose Machine Gun.
Moshood added that some of the arms were returned voluntarily, while some were recovered by the team.
He noted that extension of deadline for surrendering of prohibited firearms was based on impressive turnout recorded so far.
He warned that after the expiration of the deadline, the force would arrest and prosecute those keeping such arms.
The spokesman said no one would be arrested for voluntarily returning firearms acquired illegally.
He explained that “this operation which is still ongoing among other purposes, is aimed at full enforcement of the Firearms Act”.
On the success of the exercise in the commands, Moshood said 12 state commands recorded successes since the beginning of the directive.
He said: “All state commands have made good successes in the area of recovery of illegal and prohibited firearms.”
The commands are: Benue 47, Borno 32, Kaduna 70, Nasarawa 35, Lagos 200, FCT 78, Taraba 56, Rivers 140, Adamawa 14, Katsina 198, Abia 1,280, Kogi 67 and Delta 12.
He explained that the force was mopping up prohibited firearms in the country to ensure the safety of lives and property of Nigerians.
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