By Ado Oyeyemi
The Yobe State Police Command has uncovered an alleged illegal firearms manufacturing centre in Potiskum Local Government Area, leading to the arrest of seven suspected gun fabricators.
The suspects were apprehended during a raid on a blacksmith workshop located at Tasha Adua along Danchuwa Road in Potiskum following intelligence reports on illicit weapons production activities in the area.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, who described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against crime and illegal arms proliferation in the state.
According to the statement, operatives of the Potiskum Area Command worked in collaboration with officers from the Divisional Police Headquarters to execute the operation after receiving credible intelligence on the activities of individuals allegedly involved in the unlawful fabrication of firearms.
Abdulkarim said the suspects were arrested at the workshop while several items believed to be used in the production of weapons were recovered.
Among the exhibits seized were two locally fabricated pistols, 24 muzzle-loading gun barrels, nine gun stocks, four damaged Dane guns, a filing machine and a cutlass.
“The operation followed actionable intelligence regarding the activities of certain blacksmiths suspected of engaging in the illegal manufacture of firearms,” the police spokesman stated.
He added that the suspects were currently in police custody and undergoing further interrogation as investigators seek to identify possible accomplices, intended buyers and the purpose for which the weapons were being produced.
The spokesperson further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Usman Kanfani Jibrin, had directed a wider investigation aimed at uncovering other illegal gun-making centres and evaluating the security implications of such operations.
He urged residents to remain security conscious and promptly report suspicious movements and activities to law enforcement agencies.
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The police reiterated their commitment to curbing the proliferation of illegal arms and strengthening security across the state through intelligence-driven operations.
