Police place embargo on issuance of arms licences

Mohammed Adamu, acting inspector-general of police, has placed an embargo on the issuance of new licences for designated arms throughout the country.

Frank Mba, spokesman of the force, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Mba, who did not list the categories of arms, called on Nigerians in unlawful possession of such weapons to return them to police stations or public armoury nearest to them.

Mba said the decision followed the proliferation of illicit weapons and the desire by some citizens to acquire more arms.

He said Adamu advised Nigerians to take advantage of the “voluntary arms return window” and do the right thing as there will be dire consequences for defaulters.

The spokesman said that the force has perfected plans to embark on a massive, nationwide joint arms mopping-up operations.

He said the operation which would be intelligence-driven and target-oriented, was designed to retrieve all illicit weapons in circulation.

Mba said the exercise would halt the on-going proliferation of weapons, restore law and order and bring perpetrators to justice.