The Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has arrested five persons allegedly linked to two missing rifles belonging to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Operatives of Operation Puff Adder, a tactical team of the command, recovered the two rifles stolen from NSCDC officers who were on guard duty at the Airtel Office in Yenagoa.

Those arrested are Tijani Nuhu (23) from Kaduna State, Bello Mohammed (27) from Zanfara State, Ebi Collins (26) and Godspower James (37) both from Bayelsa State, and Happy Friday (25) from Edo State.

The state Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, gave the marching orders to the operatives of Operation Puff Adder to search and ensure the recovery of the riffles, Sunday PUNCH learnt.

Police investigations showed that Nuhu stole the rifles, hid them in a dustbin at Yenezue-Epie in Yenagoa and contacted Friday to search for buyer.

However, Friday went behind and stole the rifles from where they were kept and he “later contacted one Ernest Lagos, alias Five Stars, who is based in Lagos for the sale of the rifles.”

Unknown to them, operatives of Operation Puff Adder had mounted a search and reactivated intelligence gathering within the state capital, leading to some arrests.

Vigilante groups contacted over the search got wind of the alleged attempts by Nuhu and others to sell the rifles for the sum of N40,000 and N200,000 to some persons.

The state Police Commissioner, Francis Idu, confirmed the development on Friday. (Sunday PUNCH, excluding headline)