The Force Headquarters Joint Task Team led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Joshak Habilla has recovered 425 illegal firearms in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
The arms were recovered during raids and stop and search operations carried out by the team personnel.
Items recovered were – two General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 114 AK47 rifles, eight Sub-Machine Gun (SMG) and 301 other assorted guns.
Following what was described as impressive turn out of the voluntary surrender of the firearms, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has also extended the ultimatum to April 30.
The IGP had initially given a 21-day ultimatum which began on February 22 and elapsed on March 14 for members of the public to surrender illegal firearms in their possession.
The Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, while parading the firearms at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Monday said: “The Police Joint Task Enforcement Team in compliance with IGP’s directives and working on actionable intelligence, swung into actions and embarked on mop-up, seizure and recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands, suspected militias, militants, criminal/unlawful gangs through search, raid and seizure from identified premises, hideouts, dwelling houses, buildings and sites where these illegal/prohibited firearms were kept based on reasonable suspicion and intelligence and recovered 425 prohibited firearms and ammunition.
“This operation which is still ongoing among other purposes, is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons and will enable the Nigeria Police Force deal decisively with herders and farmers clashes, kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, militancy and terrorism.”