Surrender Your Illegal Arms Or Face Prosecution After 21days – Police
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has issued a 21 day ultimatum for persons in possession of illegal firearms to surrender them to the police or be prosecuted when caught.
To enforce this, the command has set up a task force team to mop up and arrest those in possession of illegal firearms in the state on the expiration of the 21days.
A release by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Odiko Macdon, made available to Independent in Uyo on Monday indicates that the Task Force Team headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, will embark on the crackdown of violators at the expiration of the ultimatum.
The release said the exercise was in line with the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for prohibited firearms in the country to be mopped up and called on persons legally licensed to own firearms to revalidate their licenses.
“The Command will henceforth arrest and prosecute person(s) found to be in possession of illegal firearms, which includes AK-47, pump action, locally made pistols, double barrel guns, and other prohibited firearms.
“All those who are in possession of illegal firearms or dangerous weapons of any kind are hereby advised to surrender such arms or dangerous weapons to the nearest Police Station within the given twenty-one (21) days in their own interest and no action will be taken against them.
“However, at the expiration of the said period, the Command will embark on aggressive crackdown of violators throughout the State. Also, all those who legally acquired their firearms are to revalidate their licenses” the release read.
In a related development, the State Police Command has also said that the clamp down on the use of unregistered vehicles or vehicles with covered or concealed registration and vehicles without tinted permit was in force.
The command declares it an offence for anyone to use or authorize the use of unregistered vehicles or vehicles with covered/concealed registration and vehicles without tinted permit for whatever reason(s).
The police called on persons with government plate numbers to be ready to show document of allocation of such plate numbers or return same to the issuer, adding that violators will be apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The Command appealed to law abiding citizens and residents of the State to partner with and assist the Police in ensuring that Akwa Ibom is secured and peaceful.