Despite a presidential order to shoot any non-state actor wielding an AK-47 rifle, the Kaduna State Police Command says its operatives arrested a suspected bandit and recovered an AK-47 rifle in the Kudaru forest of Saminaka, Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, ASP Mohammed Jalige disclosed the arrest in a statement on Saturday in Kaduna.
President Muhammadu Buhari had given the order on March 11, 2021, at the State House, Abuja, while meeting with the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria co-chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.
The president, who apprised the meeting with efforts by the government to improve the security situation in the country, said his administration has recorded appreciable successes in the North-East and South-South parts of the country.
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‘‘But what surprises is what is happening now in the North West where the same people, with the same culture are killing each other, taking their livestock and burning properties.
‘‘As a result of that, we had a four-hour meeting of the National Security Council attended by the Ministers of Internal Affairs, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Service Chiefs, Chief of Defence Staff, the Inspector-General of Police and others and we gave clear instructions.
‘‘One thing that got to the press which I read myself was that anyone with an AK-47 will be shot.
‘‘This is because AK-47 is supposed to be registered and it is only given to security officials.
‘‘We closed the borders for some years but the intelligence report I’m getting on a daily basis is that those who are conducting the abductions, the killings and so on are still not short of arms and ammunition,’’ he said.
President Buhari restated the order when he visited Lagos on June 10.
In his Saturday statement as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Jalige said the operatives on June 18 at about 0745 hrs, while on routine patrol along Kudaru forest in Saminaka, Lere LGA of Kaduna state, intercepted a Volkswagen Golf vehicle, green in color with Reg.No.KAG 142 AA, heading towards Kaduna.
He explained that the operatives noticed the suspicious disposition of the occupants of the said vehicle and tried to flag them down but they immediately parked some distance away and took to their heels into the forest.
“The policemen, however, engaged them in a shootout and succeeded in apprehending one suspect and when the vehicle was searched, an AK47 rifle was found concealed in a bid to escape the eagle eyes of the security forces along the route.
According to him, the suspect is currently undergoing thorough investigation and is giving useful information to the police while concerted efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing members of the gang to face the full wrath of the law.
Jalige said the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Umar Muri, assured members of the public that the command would do everything possible to ensure that members of the gang were dislodged, and their operational weapons recovered.
He also charged officers and men of the command to be vigilant at all times to effectively police their areas of responsibilities.
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