The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has directed all Commissioners of Police in State Commands and the Federal Capital Territory to begin mop-up of prohibited firearms within their Areas Of Responsibility.
The directives came as a result of concerns about the growing proliferation and engagement of prohibited firearms that threaten the security and unity of Nigeria.
The decision on Tuesday morning is part of initiatives aimed at curbing crime and providing adequate protection of lives and property of the citizens.
A statement by the Spokesman for the police, Olabisi Kolawole, listed prohibited firearms under the Firearms Act to include Artillery, Apparatus for the discharge of any explosives or gas-diffusing projectile, Revolvers and Pistols, Machine guns and Machine Pistols, Rocket Weapons and Military rifles including those with calibre 7.62mm, 9mm, .300 inches and .303inches.
Also the IG demanded that individuals or groups in possession of non-prohibited firearms immediately obtain or renew their licenses before July, 2016 by following the process on the requisite web link of the Nigeria Police Central Information Centre (NCIS) on www.npf.gov.ng.
The IG further stressed that the intelligence and operational units of the Force would be on ground to arrest and bring to justice any person or group who failed to voluntarily surrender prohibited firearms in their possession or failed to obtain/renew requisite licenses for non-prohibited firearms.
The statement reads in part, “Such modalities shall include a reward system for informants whose information shall lead to the location and recovery of such weapons and arrest of the person in whose custody such illegal firearms are recovered.”
The police boss also called on all citizens to sustain their cooperation with the Nigeria Police Force in the task of keeping the country safe while assuring them that the Force would continue to diligently work towards eliminating any threat to internal security.
He further assured Nigerians of the police’s commitment to their security.
The arms mop-up is coming at a period that Nigeria is fighting to curtail the incessant herdsmen attacks on innocent citizens of the country mostly in rural areas.
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