FCT police inaugurate taskforce on fire arms recovery
The FCT police commissioner, Abububakar Sadiq Bello, yesterday inaugurated the command’s joint taskforce for recovery of illegal firearms in the hands of unauthorized persons across the territory. The enforcement team is to be headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Operations, Olumese Valentine. Sadiq, while inaugurating the team, said it was in compliance with […]
The FCT police commissioner, Abububakar Sadiq Bello, yesterday inaugurated the command’s joint taskforce for recovery of illegal firearms in the hands of unauthorized persons across the territory.
The enforcement team is to be headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Operations, Olumese Valentine.
Sadiq, while inaugurating the team, said it was in compliance with the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris. The I.G. had directed a nationwide disarmament and recovery of prohibited firearms, ammunitions in possession of unauthorized persons.
He said the taskforce is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating and enforcing the directive on the mop up of illegal and prohibited firearms in the FCT.
He advised groups and individuals, including vigilantes and neighborhood watch groups who are still in possession of firearms, such as pump action guns to take advantage of the 21 days grace given by the IGP to surrender them at the nearest police division.
He said upon expiration of the 21 days grace on March 15, 2018, the command would commence the mop up operation which, he said would include raids, cordon and search of premises of buildings and hideouts where such illegal or prohibited arms were suspected to be kept.
“Suffice to add that any individual or group of persons found in possession of any prohibited firearms during the exercise will be arrested and prosecuted. As part of measures adopted by the command to ensure all stakeholders in the FCT are carried along, I therefore, directed all area commanders and divisional police officers to reach out to traditional rulers, community leaders and heads of vigilantes and neighborhood watch groups in their respective areas of responsibilities,” he added.