The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Benue State Command has arrested a man with a fabricated high calibre G3 rifle and 78 rounds of live ammunition.
The Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, who said this during a news conference on Thursday in Abuja noted that the suspect would be handed over to appropriate authority for further investigation.
Marwa said that the checkpoint was to stop and search vehicles for drugs, noting that NDLEA arrest when other criminal items such as heavy weapons as in this instance were found.
Marwa said that the suspect was arrested on Aug. 4 in a bus belonging to enroute Onitsha to Jos where the vehicle was flagged down at Aliade checkpoint for search.
“In the process, an iron box completely welded end to end was found in the vehicle, and when the passengers were questioned to know the owner, the suspect, Celestine Christian, accepted ownership.
“When the steel box was taken to the Benue State Command along with the suspect, an electric filing machine was used to cut it open.
“A fabricated high calibre G3 rifle was discovered with 78 rounds of live ammunition and five empty shells of same alibre were discovered” he said.
Marwa noted that people now manufacture weapons on their own, hereby selling to bandits, kidnappers and criminal gangs among others.
He said that it was important for this to be investigated by the appropriate agencies of the government, assuring that due sanctions would follow as it might not be the only manufactured weapons.
While interrogating the suspect, Christian claimed he had talent in making local guns, adding that he was hoping to get a job in the military with it. (NAN)
