The Rivers State Police Command on Monday said it has started mopping up illegal arms from vigilante groups, hunters and local security groups.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, stated this in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Monday.
Omoni further said the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, had appealed to the public to assist the police with information that could lead to the recovery of arms.
“Where they fail to voluntarily turn in their arms, of course force will be applied. We have been able to identify the Onelga Security Peace and Advocacy Council (OSPAC), vigilante groups, forest guards, hunters and local security outfits who are having prohibited firearms in their possession.
“It has been discovered that there are large cache of arms in the hands of persons who are not supposed to possess them without lawful authority. This runs contrary to the Firearms Act. They should with immediate effect turn them in or such arms will be retrieved and where they fail to turn in those arms, they will be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
