…Orders mop-up of illicit arms, ammunitions
By Hassan Zaggi
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has provided more personnel and other logistics support to state commands and other formations of the Nigeria Police Force across the country.
This is in an effort to ensure that electorates have conducive environment to vote during the governorship and houses of Assembly election on March 18.
The additional support include the deployment of personnel, operational vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armor), anti-riot equipment etc.
In a statement signed by the Force Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi (CSP), the IGP charged the Police Managers to deploy the additional operational assets and manpower to ensure the emplacement of a proper security arrangement for the upcoming elections.
The IGP insisted that: “All hands must be on deck to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.”
This is even as the IGP has ordered the continuous mop-up of illicit arms and ammunition across the nation.
This, according to him, is part of efforts of the Force, to curb the trafficking of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) within the country and mitigate any form of insecurity or threats to the ongoing electoral processes and general safety of Nigeria.
The IGP, however, confirmed that within one month from the handover of previously recovered arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) on February 16, 2023, the Nigeria Police has recovered additional 182 sophisticated arms and 430 ammunitions of various calibres.
He ordered all Commands and Formations to intensify efforts towards decimating the proliferation of illicit arms and ammunition in the country.