The Nigeria Police has said operatives of the Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Team (FIB-IRT), in a sting operation, have arrested four notorious arm dealers and recovered 57 AK47 rifles and a large catchment of ammunition in Jos, Plateau state and from other locations across the country.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a press statement, Thursday in Abuja, said: “This is in furtherance of the IGP’s recent charge to the men of the Nigeria Police Force to be dauntless in the fight against crimes and criminality in the country.”
According to the Spokesperson, “The suspects, Hamza Zakari, aka Hamzo, 20; Abubakar Muhammed, aka Fancy, 22; Umar Ibrahim, 25; and Muhammed Abdulkarim, aka Dan-Asabe, 37; all male and residents of Jos, were arrested following a credible intelligence on their nefarious activities in Jos and its environs.
“The suspects, who confessed to their involvement in arms dealings and other criminal acts, have been identified as one of the major links for the supply of arms and ammunition to criminal elements terrorizing the state and some other parts of the country.
“The investigation team is on the trail of their accomplices and they are closing in on them.”
He further disclosed that, “Operatives of the FIB-IRT acting on a tip-off have smashed and arrested three suspected gun runners in Ibi LGA of Taraba state.
“The suspects, Bello Sani, Venab Puncat, and Yusuf Nahoda, all of Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba, during interrogation confessed to have purchased one AK47 rifle, and one SMG rifle at the cost of N900,000. Concerted effort has been activated to arrest their collaborators and recover the exhibits.”
He said the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, while commending the successes recorded by the FIB-IRT, reassured members of the public of his administration’s commitment to the fight against common enemies of the nation who are hell-bent on causing pains, tears and agony to Nigerians.
Adejobi said the police boss also called for continuous support for the Police and the security community, as the NPF under his leadership would up its game to ensure public safety, peace and security via intelligence-led, technology–driven and robust community–based partnership.
