The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 40 suspects in connection with various crimes within the Territory, just as the command is set to mop-up illegal and prohibited arms following the expiration of the ultimatum of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.
Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT, Sadiq Abubakar, made this known while briefing journalists on activities of the command on Wednesday at the Command headquarters.
He said the Command’s enforcement team had made huge success in compliance with the directive based on the volume of fire-arms turned in by residents.
The police boss also said the Task Force recovered a total of 78 guns and 222 live cartridges that were voluntarily surrendered to the Command Headquarters by their owners following “robust media campaign and meetings with stakeholders in the five area councils of the FCT.”
According to him, on expiration of the ultimatum by the IGP this weekend, the Command would commence the mop-up exercise which would include raids, cordon-and-search of premises or building or hideouts where illegal firearms are reasonably suspected to be kept.
He warned that any individual or group of persons found in possession of any prohibited fire-arms “henceforth, would be arrested and prosecuted.”
The police boss also paraded the suspects before journalists as well as exhibits recovered from them including: 11 stolen vehicles; three cutlasses; eight locally fabricated pistols; nine ammunition; nine units of television sets; one desktop monitor; thee knives; and one toy gun.
