The Lagos State Police Command has recovered 200 arms and 280 ammunition between September last year and march this year.
Among the arms recovered were various brands of pistols,pump action ,Ak47 riffle and assorted locally made guns from different armed gangs.
Aside from those allegedly recovered from armed robbery suspects some of the rifles were voluntarily returned by their owners ahead of the April 28, 2018 deadline given by the Inspector- General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.
The IGP had ordered owners of illegally acquired arms, from March 1- 28, 2018 for them to return all weapons in their possession to the nearest police stations or risked being prosecuted if arrested. Idris later extended the March 28 deadline to April.
The State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, who briefed the media on the issue yesterday at the Command Headquarters, Ikeja, said that the command recovered a total of 188 various types of guns and 280 various ammunition.The CP said that while some recovered from criminals ,others were voluntarily returned by their owners.
Edgal while giving a break down of the various arms recovered, stated that the weapons recovered are: 38 pump action rifles, six AK 47 rifles, 12 double barrel rifles, 70 single barrel locally made shot guns, 42 locally made double barrel shot guns, 18 locally made revolvers and three Barrett’s pistols.
He said that some of the weapons were recovered from some car snatching syndicate who specialized in stealing exotic vehicles from their owners at gun points in other states of the country and thereafter brought them to Lagos where they wer e sold to unsuspecting members of the public as American used cars.
He said that the robbers whose identities were given as Ridwan Mamud, 23, Oyesanmi Kazeem, 31 and Usmand Umar, 42, were arrested in their hideouts in Ajegunle.
He said a total of seven cars were recovered from the gang members.
He said: “The recovered vehicles are:Toyota Highlander SUV 2012 model with registration number APP 965 CY, Toyota Rav 4 registration number RBC 864 HW, Toyota Matrix, Toyota Camry saloon car ash Colour, blue colored Honda Saloon, ash Mazda space bus all four vehicles are with no registration number.
“The second set of weapons were recovered from members of an armed gang who were arrested after they stole a Lexus SUV where it was parked in front an hotel in Ajah area of the metropolis. Their arrest follows a complaint made by one Ajayi Adedotun on March 19, 2018.”
He said that based on the complaint operatives of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) went after the fleeing gun men.
Edgal who advised those who are yet to return arms in their possession to borrow a leaf from those who have decided to embrace peace, adding that those who refuse to seize the grace provided by the IGP would be treated like a common criminal if arrested after the expiration of the IGP’s grace.
“We are currently in the first phase of the operation, after this stage we will enter the second phase. In the second phase we will move into houses, companies, vessels, hotels, motels and brothels with search warrants and anybody found in possession of weapons would be treated seriously like a common.
“I am asking illegal bearers of fire arms to return them while the grace last or will have themselves to be blamed” he added.
