IGP orders the mopping up of illegal firearms as police seize 182 guns

In its attempts to combat crime, the Nigeria Police has found 182 illegal weapons and 430 rounds of ammunition in various calibres around the country.

The National Center for the Regulation of Small Arms and Light Weapons will receive the weapons, according to a statement released by the Force Public Relations Officer on Tuesday (NCCSALW).

Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police, he said, had directed all commands and formations to step up their efforts to stop the spread of illegal weapons and ammunition in the nation.

According to reports, Baba also sent more personnel and supplies to Commands and Formations around the nation in order to effectively oversee election security for the next gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections slated for Saturday, March 18, 2023.

The deployment of people, operating vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protection equipment (body armour), anti-riot equipment, etc. is included in the extra support, he added.

In order to ensure the deployment of an adequate security arrangement for the upcoming elections, the police chief also gave orders to all Strategic Police Managers to deploy additional distributed operational assets and manpower. All hands must be on deck to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.

The full text of the statement is as follows: “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, CFR, has provided additional human and logistical support to Commands and Formations across the nation for effective election security management during the upcoming gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023. The extra assistance entails the use of troops, operating vehicles, non-lethal weapons, body armour, and other personal protection gear.

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As part of the Force’s efforts to reduce the trafficking of illegal Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) within the nation and eliminate any threats to the ongoing electoral processes or the general safety of Nigeria, the IGP has also ordered a nationwide campaign to sweep up illegal arms and ammunition.

“The IGP confirmed that the Nigeria Police has recovered an additional 182 sophisticated weapons and 430 ammunitions of various calibres within one month of the handover of previously recovered arms and ammunition to the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) on February 16, 2023. He gave the order to all Commands and Formations to step up their efforts to stop the spread of illegal weapons and ammunition throughout the nation.

All hands must be on deck to ensure that the elections are held in a peaceful and secure environment, so the Inspector-General of Police has charged all Strategic Police Managers to deploy the additional distributed operational assets and manpower to ensure the emplacement of a proper security arrangement for the upcoming elections.