•Order mop-up, deployment of assets to contain potential threats
•Launch manhunt for kidnappers of Rivers Accord assembly candidate
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
As part of plans to curb the proliferation of small and light weapons ahead of the March 18 governorship and state assembly elections, the police high command, yesterday, said it had recovered 182 sophisticated arms and 430 Illicit ammunition of different caliber.
The recovery came after one month of handing over earlier recovered arms ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The IG has, therefore, ordered the continuous mop-up of illicit arms and ammunition across the nation as part of efforts of the force, as the lead agency in internal security management, to curb the trafficking of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) within the country and to mitigate any form of insecurity or threats to the ongoing electoral processes and general safety of Nigeria.
A statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer and Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the additional support included the deployment of personnel, operational vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armor), anti-riot equipment etcetera.
The statement said the IG equally ordered all commands and formations to intensify efforts towards containing the proliferation of illicit arms and ammunition in the country.
It said force headquarters also extended additional human and logistic support to commands and formations across the country for effective election security management in the forthcoming gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023.
It said the IG “has extended additional human and logistic support to Commands and formations across the country for effective election security management during the forthcoming gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections scheduled for Saturday 18th March, 2023.
The additional support included the deployment of personnel, operational vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armor), anti-riot equipment etcetera
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command, has launched manhunt for Kidnappers of Chukwudi Ogbonna, the Accord Party candidate for the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area Constituency 2 in the State House of Assembly.
THISDAY gathered that the victim, Ogbonna was abducted on Monday, at Rumuigbo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area while driving in his car.
It was also learned that the kidnappers forcefully pulled Ogbonna from his car at gunpoint and whisked him to unknown destination.
A source who pleaded anonymity, revealed that the incident occurred at about 8pm on the said date.
According to the source, “We noticed some men harassing two men in a Mercedes Benz car in this area, one of the occupants of the car came down to ask why the men stopped them. The next thing we saw was a release of gun shot in the air.
“As everybody was scampering for their life, including the man asking them (gunmen) question, they forcefully dragged the man we later learnt is the Accord Party State Assembly candidate in Rivers away.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident, said police had launched manhunt for the suspected Kidnappers, saying, “We are aware of it, so we are investigating to ensure the victim regains his freedom.”
