Seven people have been detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on suspicion of manufacturing illicit guns in Abuja for resale.
This was revealed on Wednesday during a press conference held at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja by its Commandant General (CG), Ahmed Audi.
The CG, represented by NSCDC Spokesperson Babawale Afolabi, stated that the four male and three female suspects were apprehended while manufacturing handguns and rifles in the area.
According to Audi, the suspects, who were between the ages of 29 and 20, were taken into custody in the vicinity of Moshood Abiola National Stadium after an informant tipped off Corps investigators in the Intelligence and Investigation section.
The following are their names: Philemon, Amos Iyawo, Ezekiel Nannim, Euphemia Peter, Faith Gadang, and Jonah Mannaseh.
According to the suspects’ statements, Iyawo is the team’s commander and he enlisted other members to help produce the guns.
“Iyawo admitted to discovering a locally manufactured handgun while on duty with the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) at Durumi, Abuja,” the statement read.
He claims that because the group was just starting out, confessional admissions from the suspects showed that they had not yet sold any firearms prior to their arrest.
According to the CG, five fake weapons, a pistol, an incomplete rifle, seven empty cartridges, two boots, rods, and a welding machine were among the exhibits taken from the suspects.
The others are a shovel, three pliers, a filling machine, axes, cutlasses, and hunters’ identities.
The commandant general announced that the police will receive the suspects and exhibits for additional examination and potential legal action.
This is due to the police’s prosecuting authority over matters involving the proliferation, unlawful acquisition, and unauthorized manufacture of small guns and ammunition.
“I would like to inform the public that security agencies nationwide are working together in a scientific manner to protect the nation from individuals with criminal intentions,” he stated.
Audi recalled that he had instructed all heads of formations, State Commandants, and Zonal Commanders on the importance of timely information gathering—which he believed to be the cornerstone of every security organization.
He asked people to keep believing in the Corps and other security organizations.through providing reliable and actionable intelligence that would result in the arrests of those undermining the Federal Government’s attempts to implement the Renewed Hope Agenda.
