The Task Force set up by the Police Command in Nasarawa State to mop up illegal arms and ammunition has recovered 35 assorted arms and 222 rounds of live ammunition in the state within the last one month.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Bello, presented the recovered arms and ammunition to newsmen in Lafia on Friday.
He gave the breakdown of the recovered guns as two AK47 assault rifles and one AK49 assault riffle; one SMG riffle; one Auto Six; one English Pistol; two Dane guns and 27 locally fabricated guns.
Also recovered are: 197 rounds of 7.62mm and 18 rounds of 9mm live ammunition as well as seven cartridges.
Bello said the exercise was in compliance with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, that arms and ammunition be mopped up in order to curb security challenges in the country.
He said the command had strategically mapped out the state with the view to identifying and raiding suspected criminal havens and black spots.
According to him, officers of the force had been taught, as part the Police Force’s rule of engagement, to employ the highest form of civility to the public and best practice in mopping up the arms and ammunition.
The commissioner hoped that the ongoing exercise would help to retrieve more illegal arms and ammunition in the hands of individuals, groups and criminal elements thereby reducing insecurity in the state and Nigeria.
He urged members of the public to offer vital information to ensure the success of the exercise, pointing out that security was a collective responsibility. (NAN)