Police recover over 200 firearms in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it has recovered more than 200 illegally acquired firearms from individuals and suspected hoodlums in the last seven months. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Edgal Imohimi, made the disclosure at a news conference in Lagos. Imohimi said the firearms were recovered from suspected hoodlums and those that embraced […]

The Lagos State Police Command yesterday said it has recovered more than 200 illegally acquired firearms from individuals and suspected hoodlums in the last seven months.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Edgal Imohimi, made the disclosure at a news conference in Lagos.

Imohimi said the firearms were recovered from suspected hoodlums and those that embraced the 21 days’ grace period given by the Inspector-General of Police to submit their illegally possessed firearms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the recovered arms and ammunition were taken to the Lagos State Police Command armoury.

The police chief added that the recovery covered a period of seven months, starting from September, 2017 when he assumed duty in the command.

Giving statistics of the recovery, he said the firearms consisted of 38 pump action rifles, six AK-47 rifles, 12 double barrel rifles, 11 single barrel rifles and 70 single barrel locally made cut to size shot-guns.

Others were 18 locally made revolver pistols, three Beretta pistols, 220 cartridges and 60 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition.

“As you can see on display, the firearms’ mop up exercise has yielded positive result in the command.

“I’m also using this opportunity to call on citizens to take advantage of the grace period and return voluntarily, prohibited firearms.

“Failure to do so will lead to lawful search of buildings and property that we have credible information on which will eventually lead to arrest and prosecution. I hope it won’t come to that,” he said. (NAN)