Police give vigilante groups 21-day ultimatum to surrender ‘illegal’ firearms

Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of police, has directed commissioners of police to commence the recovery of prohibited firearms in the country.

Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, made this known in a statement released on Thursday.

He said the categories of the prohibited firearms are artillery, apparatus for the discharge of any explosives of gas diffusing projectile, rocket weapons, bombs and grenades.

Others, he said, are machine guns and machine pistols, military rifles, those of calibres 7.62mm, 9mm, .300 inches, revolvers and pistols whether rifled or unrifled (including flint-lock pistols and cap pistols), pump action gun of all categories and any other firearms/lethal weapons fabricated to kill.

Moshood said a police joint task enforcement team has been constituted at the Force headquarters to coordinate the order.

He said the commissioners of police and the assistant inspectors-general of police have been mandated to also set-up similar teams.

“The operation will equally include cordon and search and raid, seizure from any premises, hideouts, dwelling houses or buildings or sites (completed or under construction),” he said.

He said all categories of people bearing arms in the name of vigilante groups, neighbourhood watch among others have been given 21 days from today to surrender them to commissioners of police in their states.

“This operation which among other purposes, is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired,” he said.

He said the action would enable the Nigeria Police Force deal decisively with herders and farmers clashes, kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, militancy and terrorism.

“The commissioners of police in charge of state commands are under strict instruction of the inspector general of police to enforce and carry out these directives in totality,” he said.

“They have also been directed to convene a security stakeholders meeting immediately to sensitize and educate the members of the general public.

“No licence will be given or recognised in respect of prohibited firearms and ammunition except granted by the president and commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon the recommendation of the inspector general of police.”

He warned that anyone found with prohibited firearms after the expiration of the 21 days would be arrested, investigated and prosecuted.