The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has ordered Command Commissioners of Police to embark on intensive recovery of fire arms in the possession of unauthorized security outfits/agencies, including some state-owned security outfits across the country.
The Police stated this in a statement, signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Emmanuel Ojukwu, and made available to our Correspondent.
Apart from the retrieval of those illegal arms, the state Police Commissioners are equally to ensure that suspects arrested in connection with it are given speedy prosecution at law courts. “This is in view of reported cases of political violence allegedly traceable to the use of illegal firearms by some unlawful persons attached to private security outfits.”
This directive is aimed at keeping violence and other criminalities at bay, as 2015 general elections draw nearer and to further ensure a safe milieu is guaranteed for a peaceful poll.
Recently, a stalwart of APC had said that since his Police security has been withdrawn, he would contract the services of private security outfit to take care of his personal security.
“The Nigeria Police Force is therefore using this medium to further advise the political stakeholders to play the game by the rules, as all measures put in place to ensure a free, fair and credible election will be implemented to the letter.
“Members of the public are also enjoined to continue to collaborate with the Police to fish out criminal elements and report any suspicious movement in their areas”, the police said.
It would be recalled that the Police boss had earlier said he was worried over the amount of light-arms and other dangerous weapons that were entering Nigeria on daily basis since late last year.
The Inspector General of Police stated this in his reaction to the recent seizure of a large cache of sophisticated weapons in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital in the North central Nigeria. He also added that investigation into the truck-load of weapons has commenced. Police authority in Kwara State had intercepted trucks in Kwara State laden with arms and ammunition in Kosubosu, a border town in the Baruten Local Government Area of the state.
The Police boss spoke with our Correspondent in a telephone interview from Abuja, after receiving the case file, containing details and exhibits of the intercepted arms and ammunition from the Commissioner of Police (CP) Kwara State, Salihu Garba.
The IGP also confirmed that the intercepted arms cargo has been handed over to officers and men of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Abuja.
