The Police in Ebonyi has given a 14-day ultimatum to persons in possession of illegal firearms in the state to surrender them to the command.
Commissioner of Police in the state Philip Maku stated this while inaugurating a Taskforce Enforcement Team to mop up illegal firearms in the State.
The taskforce is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the command’s Operations Department.
A statement by the spokesman of the Police in the state, Loveth Odah, disclosed that the taskforce was inaugurated by the command’s Commissioner, Philip Maku.
According to her, the action is in a bid to commence the total enforcement of firearms act.
She said the act prohibits possession and the use of illegal and prohibited firearms, ammunitions, weapons as well as locally fabricated or modified devices.
Mrs. Odah said the CP warned persons and groups to voluntarily submit firearms in their unlawful possession as offenders will not be spared.
She said: “the CP gave those in possession of illegal arms 14 days to surrender them to the Task Force team or any nearest Police Station they are domiciled”.
“The CP further warns members of the General Public, individuals and groups such as Vigilantes, Town Unions, Hunters and Neighbourhood Watch/Watch night men or any group or Association under any capacity or guise other than statutory Security Agencies recognized and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category.
“Those in possession of such Firearms are given fourteen (14) days from today, 16th August, 2020 to surrender them to the Task Force team of any nearest Police Station they are domiciled”, according to the release”.
“This Operation which among other purposes, is aimed at full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons will enable the Command deal decisively with the prevailing security challenges ranging from kidnappings, armed robbery, banditry, cattle rustling and other related crimes in the state,” she said.