Police Inspector General, Mr. Mohammed Adamu has ordered a nationwide clamp down on illegal firearms ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States.
This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, a deputy commissioner of police, DCP.
In it, he directed Commissioners of Police in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory to immediately initiate appropriate actions to identify, isolate, disarm, arrest and prosecute any individual, groups in possession of prohibited firearms.
He said this has become necessary to boost the efforts by the Police High Command to curb the proliferation of prohibited firearms in the country, which politicians are allegedly stockpiling to cause mayhem in the two states.
The directive has become necessary against the backdrop of the deliberate arming and movement of political thugs and other criminal elements across the country.
In addition, the statement said the directive is targeted at addressing the proliferation and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms in the country which is contrary to the provisions of Chapter F.28 LFN 2004 of the Firearms Act.
Similarly, Commissioners of Police in all the states of the federation and the FCT have been directed to immediately convene an enlightenment meeting of all vigilante groups and quasi security outfits spread across the country in order to ensure that their activities are in conformity with the extant laws guiding their establishment and operations.
Stressing that several civil groups – vigilantes, quasi states and regional security outfits – under various guises are arming themselves with prohibited firearms and weapons in contravention of the provisions of the Firearms Act, he noted that the trend if unchecked would pose serious threat to national security.
He enjoined citizens to cooperate with the police in the enforcement of this order as it is aimed at ensuring safety of lives and property in the country.
