IGP orders police to mop up prohibited firearms

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has directed all Commissioners of Police in State Commands and the FCT to mop-up prohibited firearms within their areas of responsibility.

Arase gave the order in a statement issued by the Acting Commissioner of Police, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, the Force Public Relations Officer, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The statement said that the directive was aimed at ensuring adequate protection of lives and property of the citizens.

It listed the prohibited firearms to include Artillery, Apparatus for the discharge of any explosives or gas-diffusing projectile, Revolvers and Pistols.

Others are: Machine guns and Machine Pistols; Rocket Weapons and Military rifles, including those with calibre 7.62mm, 9mm, .300 inches and .303 inches.

The statement said Arase also urged persons in possession of non-prohibited firearms to immediately obtain or renew their licences before July 2016.

It added that the intelligence and operational units of the Force would soon be deployed to fish out, arrest and prosecute any person who violated the directive.

The statement said that those who failed to obtain or renew requisite licences for non-prohibited firearms would also be arrested and prosecuted.

It said that informants would be rewarded for volunteering information leading to the location, arrest and recovery of illegal firearms.

The statement called on all citizens to sustain their cooperation with the Nigeria Police in the task of keeping the country safe.

It also assured that the police would continue to diligently work toward eliminating any threat to internal security, assuring of its commitment to safety and security of Nigerians.