Police arrests blacksmiths making guns for criminals in Lagos

Operatives of the Lagos Police Command have busted a blacksmith factory where illegal firearms were allegedly being fabricated for criminals.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, who disclosed this on Tuesday while parading suspected criminals at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja, said two suspects were arrested during a raid at the factory.

“On September 11, 2023, around 4pm, based on actionable intelligence on a blacksmith who fabricated firearms for onward sales to criminals around Idata Village of Ibeju-Lekki, operatives of the command busted the factory and arrested one Musiliu Gbenga, 21, and Owolabi Azeez, 22,” Hundeyin said.

“The following items were recovered from the factory: three single-barrel locally-made pistols, one double-barrel locally-made gun, one single-barrel locally-made gun, two single-barrel locally-made long guns, 10 expended cartridges, 12 long pipes, two drilling machines, one gas cylinder, one vehicle and other fabricated tools,” the police spokesman said.

Read also: Police arrests 39 suspected armed robbers, cultists, others in Lagos

He added that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Idowu Owohunwa, had called on all persons having illegal possession of arms and ammunition to come forward and submit them without getting arrested or prosecuted.

“This is in line with the directive of the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, that all commands mop up arms and ammunition in the hands of non-state actors within their respective jurisdictions.”

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