Kaduna paraded seven suspected members of a gunrunning
syndicate involved in the sale, manufacture and repair of
locally made guns.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Adenaike, said that
the suspected gun-runners were arrested following a tip-off
from a member of the public.
Adenaike said that seven suspects, including Malam Aliyu
Yahaya, the Village Head of Sabon Gidan, Kakau, in Chikun
Local Government Area of the state, were arrested in the
operation.
According to him, investigations are still going on, with a
view to arresting other members of the syndicate and others
involved in the manufacture and repair of locally made guns.
He urged the public to continue to support security agents by
providing them with useful information that would aid efforts
to safeguard the state against terrorism and other crimes.
Speaking to newsmen, Yahaya, who was accused of harbouring some of the suspects and being in illegal
possession of guns, confessed his complicity in the crime,
saying that he regretted his action.
The village head said that he bought the gun from Mohammed
Shuaibu for N150,000 to enable him to protect his household
against the menace of armed robbers and assailants.
He said that Shuaibu told him that the gun was licensed,
adding that he paid him half of the price with a pledge to pay
the balance when all the gun's registration documents were
given to him.
Yahaya advised the public against engaging in criminal acts or
possession of arms, irrespective of the circumstances.
He stressed that people should rather report anything that
could breach the peace and security of the society to security
agencies.
Also speaking, Shuaibu, 45, confessed that some years ago,
the police arrested him in connection with illegal possession
of arms.
He said that he had jettisoned the gunrunning business for
over two and a half years before Yahaya contacted him to
procure a gun for him.
He said that that he usually bought guns from his tailor,
Mohammed Abdullahi.
Abdullahi, 55, said that he had been in the gunrunning
business for sometime; adding that he usually purchased guns
from a Nigerien (now at large) for subsequent sales to his
customers.
He attributed his involvement in the crime to economic
hardship, saying that he had three wives, 21 children and nine
children, left behind by his deceased son, to cater for.
Via: Vanguard / NAN
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