The Anambra State Police command in its bid to rid the state arm proliferation in the state Thursday set up a nine-member committee to mop up illegal arms in the state within 21 days as directed recently by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr. Ibrahim Idris.

The committee which is expected to carry out the exercise aimed at fulfilling enforcement of the firearms Act, 2004 has as its chairman, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Baba Maiyaki.

Briefing journalists at the state command in Amawbia, Awka south local government area of the state, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, reeled out the categories of firearms affected by the mop up operation to include bomb and grenades, artillery, rocket weapons, apparatus for the discharge of any explosives of gas diffusion projectiles, machine guns and pistols, as well as military rifles of 7.82 and 9 mm calibers.

Others are revolvers and pistols of all types, firearms, such as pump action gun of all categories and other firearms and lethal weapon fabricated to kill.

The CP explained that the approved Anambra State vigilante groups would continue to carry out their duties because they were legal outfits, saying: “We know them and they know us.

“The vigilante uses only double barrel guns and that is the only weapon allowed for them to use.

“All other weapons and ammunitions in wrong hands, suspected militia, criminals/unlawful gangs or groups, shall be recovered henceforth.

“The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform members of the general public, individuals and groups such vigilante, neighbourhood watch groups of the new directive.

“Town unions, hunters, watch night men, or any group or association under any capacity or guise other than statutory security agencies recognised and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria in all the 21 local government areas in the state currently possessing and using prohibited/illegal firearms of all categories and the like for whatsoever purpose, are hereby warned and given 21 days from 1st March, 2018 to surrender them to the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command, Awka.”

Umar advised unauthorized people who are still in possession of any fire arm to return it to the appropriate authourities adding that any person found with any kind of prohibited firearms at the expiration of the twenty-one days ultimatum, would be arrested, investigated and prosecuted accordingly.

He however called for the support of the people of Anambra State in the enforcement of the directive.

Update news