By Stanley Nwanosike
Enugu – The Police Command in Enugu State, on Friday, inaugurated eight-man committee to oversee mop-up of illegal arms and ammunition in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Command on Sunday, Aug. 3, issued a three-day ultimatum for people in possession of unlicensed and authorised firearms to surrender them to the command.
The ultimatum was part of the decision reached at the emergency Joint Security Meeting held in Enugu recently.
Inaugurating the committee at the police headquarters in Enugu, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Sulaiman Balarabe, said that the Command would deal decisively with anyone found in possession of any unlicensed/unauthorized firearms.
“Since the expiration of the three days of grace given by the Command, it will now diligently prosecute anyone found with illegal and unauthorized arms and ammunition in line with the relevant section of the law.
“The command working in partnership with sister security agencies and relevant stakeholders will definitely fish out those within the category mentioned above as we are coming for them,’’ Balarabe said.
He said that the committee would be headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations, ACP Haruna Alaba; while the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, would serve as the secretary of the committee.
Responding, Alaba assured the commissioner and the entire command that the committee would discharge its mandate with dispatch.
“The committee is made of serious minded members and we will ensure that we deliver on our mandate and rid the state of gun-runners and criminals,’’ he said.
(NAN)