The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says its operatives have
arrested Taimako Mato, a suspected weapon handling instructor for the Boko
Haram terrorist group, and four others for alleged gunrunning.
The four other suspects are John Danladi, Mohammed Munkail,
Manasseh William, and Muhammadu Haddi.
In a statement on Tuesday, Muyiwa Adejobi, the force
spokesperson, said the suspects are members of a gunrunning syndicate operating
in Bauchi and Plateau states.
“The suspects, identified as Taimako Mato ‘m’, John Danladi
‘m’, Mohammed Munkail ‘m’, Manasseh William ‘m’ and Muhammadu Haddi ‘m’, were
arrested with 1 PKT machine gun, 40 rounds of 37.2mm and 95 rounds of 62mm
cartridge ammunition,” the statement reads.
“The leader of the
syndicate, Taimako Mato, was a weapon handling instructor at a Boko Haram camp
who procures these prohibited weapons and passes them on to the other members
of the syndicate to sell to various buyers.”
Adejobi said police have arrested 295 suspected armed
robbers, 186 kidnappers, 271 murder suspects, and 71 suspects for unlawful
possession of firearms in the last one month.
“Also arrested 199 suspects for sexual-related offences, 143
suspects for cultism, and 1,575 suspects arrested for other various crimes,”
the force spokesperson said.
“The force also
recovered 185 firearms and a total number of 4,087 rounds of ammunition of
various calibres, 111 vehicles were recovered, and 129 kidnapped victims were
rescued.”
The force spokesperson said the police would not relent in
ensuring that crimes are reduced to the barest minimum in the country.
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