Police recovers over $470million, N8b, 9657 firearms, others

The Nigeria Police Force have recovered over $470million, and N8billion, 9657 firearms, 26,994 ammunition in two years.

The Police also recovered two vessels, seven speed boats, 83 trucks, 25 assorted cars including Jeeps, 36 buses, 29 motorcycles, five Speed Boat engines and 38 pumping and drilling machines and generators.”

The recovery according to the Police were made since the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris assumed office.

The IGP assumed office in June 2016.

The IGP had on 21st February, 2018 directed the Commissioners of Police of all the State Commands including  FCT Abuja and their Supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police of the 12 Zonal Commands in the Country, and the Force Headquarters Joint Task Enforcement Team to mop up and recover prohibited firearms and ammunition.

Highlighting how the recoveries were made, Moshood said: “Ultimatums of 21 days at intervals were given by the Force for voluntary return of all prohibited firearms in the hands of members of the general public, individuals and groups such as Vigilantes and neighbourhood watch groups in any of the 36 States and the FCT including the 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation.

“Town Unions, hunters and watch night men or any group or association under any capacity or guise, other than Security Agencies recognized statutorily and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to bear firearms of specified category; after the expiration of the grace period and ultimatums, the CP of State Commands, FCT and their Supervisory AIG of Police and the Force Headquarters Joint Task Enforcement Team in compliance with IGP’s directives and working on actionable intelligence, swung into actions and embarked on mop-up, seizure and recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands.”

Details of the recovery are contained in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by the Force Spokesman, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood.

On the monetary and non-monetary assets recovered, Moshood said: “On assumption of Office, the IGP created Special Units to handle high profile cases including terrorism, cyber and high-tech crimes, some of which includes the IGP Monitoring Unit, SIP and Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism.

“As a result of these efforts, the Nigeria Police Force recovered the following monetary and non-monetary assets for the Federal Government.

“The sum of $470,519,889.10 belonging to NNPC Brass/LNG Investment hidden in some commercial banks after the directives of the Federal Government on TSA.

“The sum of N8, 807,264,834.96 monies belonging to NNPC Brass/LNG Investment that was not remitted to TSA Account of the Federal Government was also recovered

“The Sum of N114, 290,000.00 in relation to the December 10th, 2016, National and State Assembly Re-Run Elections in Rivers State of Nigeria was recovered from 23 INEC Electoral officials.”

On the number of firearms recovered, the Police said:  “In the first batch, 6,527 firearms were recovered = 6, 527 and 14,809 ammunition while we recovered 3,130 firearms in the second batch and 12, 185 ammunition.”

On non-cash items, the Police said: “The Force in the fight against economic sabotage and pipeline vandalism related crimes recovered two vessels, seven speed boats, 83 trucks, 25 assorted cars including Jeeps, 36 buses, 29 motorcycles, five Speed Boat engines and 38 pumping and drilling machines and generators.”

The Police said the operation which is still ongoing is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons.

The Police also said the mop-up will enable the Force deal decisively with Herders/Farmers clashes, kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, militancy and terrorism.

The Police urged members of the Public with useful information that will assist the Police to report via the following contacts: DIG Department of Operations: 08037025670; O/C IGP Special Investigation Panel: 08035891859; O/C IGP Monitoring Unit: 08032451594 and O/C IGP Intelligence Response Team: 09098049333.

The Force also said its commitment to guarantee protection of lives and property and recovery of government assets in the hands of unpatriotic individuals, groups or corporate bodies across the country remains unequivocal and unwavering.