By: Odeh Favour Adiya
Operatives of the Yobe State Police Command have recorded a major breakthrough in their ongoing battle against crime after uncovering an illegal firearms manufacturing workshop operating in the state.
The security smash-and-grab operation, which took place in Potiskum Local Government Area of the state, also led to the immediate arrest of seven suspected local gunmakers who were caught on the grind.
Recounting details of the successful raid on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the command, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed that the suspects were apprehended on Monday when police operatives stormed a local blacksmith workshop located at Tasha Adua, along the busy Danchuwa Road in Potiskum.
According to him, the successful bust was a joint effort executed by the eagle-eyed operatives of the Potiskum Area Command working hand-in-hand with officers from the Divisional Police Headquarters. The team acted swiftly on credible intelligence regarding the shady manufacturing activities going on within the area.
During the raid, the police operatives retrieved a cache of locally manufactured pistols, 24 muzzle pipes, nine gun butts, four unserviceable Dane guns, a filing machine, and a cutlass.
The PPRO further disclosed that the seven suspects are currently in police custody, where they are undergoing intense interrogation to unmask their buyers, major collaborators, and the main motives behind their illegal production line.
Reacting to the development, the Yobe State Commissioner of Police, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, commended the breakthrough and ordered an expanded, full-scale investigation to uncover other illegal weapon production hubs threatening the peace of the state.
He further urged members of the public to remain vigilant, and report any strange or suspicious movements within their neighbourhoods to security agencies.
