Two Nigerian soldiers have landed in trouble after they were arrested for allegedly supplying arms to militants.
The cache of arms recovered by the police
The police yesterday arrested two army personnel in connection with some weapons discovered in Festac Town, The Nation reveals.
Residents of Sixth Avenue in FESTAC alerted the police to the cache of arms and ammunition.
Policemen including operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad
(SARS) recovered two AK47 rifles, 24 AK47 rifle magazines, a Brownie
pistol magazine, ammunition, mask and charms.
After the discovery, the police arrested Warrant Officer (WO)
Longinus Madu, who is attached to 353 Field Artillery and another over
the incident.
A source said the soldiers were also being probed for alleged
involvement and supplying of arms to militants. The suspects, it was
learnt, are in SARS custody.
At 3:40pm yesterday, some army officers were at the command headquarters, probably for the case.
Owoseni, who displayed the recovered items, said it would have been
disastrous if the weapons had been used for the purpose meant.
He said: “Based on credible information, police operatives
stormed Sixth Avenue in Festac and recovered two AK47 rifles, 24 AK47
rifle magazines and a Brownie pistol magazine. An alarming number of 951
7.62mm live ammunition, 110 7.65mm live ammunition, a mask, vehicle
number-plates and charms were also recovered.
“The command is working hard to trace how the arms and
ammunition got to the area and to ensure that whoever is connected with
that discovery is brought to justice.
“This is a classical example of police-community partnership.
The police in that community have gained confidence of the public that
was why they offered information that led to the recovery. The
destruction the weapons would have done if the criminals succeeded in
their aim would have been disastrous.”
The command also arrested 28 armed robbery suspects and two kidnappers, and recovered 16 guns from hoodlums.
According to him, four armed robbery suspects died in gun duel with the police during the period.
A Bereta pistol, three locally made pistols, 1,083 live ammunition
with 38 different live cartridges, three axes, three cutlasses and 10
exotic vehicles, among others, he said, were recovered during the
period.
He denied the alleged lynching of a seven-year-old boy for stealing
garri at Orile-Iganmu, insisting that no such incidence occurred in the
state.
Giving result of police findings, Owoseni said a decomposing body
of an adult between 20 and 25 years was recovered at a canal in Orile,
adding that the deceased was an armed robbery suspect, who was mobbed
while trying to dispossess a victim of his mobile phone.
“The deceased and two others tried to rob another person and
macheted their victim in a bid to snatch her phone. The gang has
continuously operated in that area. Some of them have been arraigned in
court but were released on bail.
“Nemesis caught up with them that day of the incident. It
occurred around 4am and no information of the mob attack was given to
the police.
“I condemn in its entirety the mob action and urge residents to
report such incidents to the police and have confidence that the right
thing would be done. People should no longer take the laws into their
hands.”
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