Police Uncover Illegal Firearms Factory In Yobe

The Yobe State command of the Nigeria Police Force has uncovered an illegal firearms fabrication workshop in Potiskum Local Government Area of the state and arrested seven suspected gunmakers.

The command said the suspects were arrested on Monday during a raid on a blacksmith workshop located at Tasha Adua, along Danchuwa Road, in Potiskum.

Naija News reports that this was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim.

According to the statement, the raid followed intelligence on the alleged illegal production of firearms by some blacksmiths operating in the area.

The command described the discovery as another major success in its ongoing fight against crime and illegal arms proliferation in the state.

The statement read, “The Yobe State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its sustained efforts to combat crime and criminality across the state.”

Abdulkarim said operatives of the Potiskum Area Command carried out the operation in collaboration with officers from the Divisional Police Headquarters.

He explained that the security team moved in after receiving credible information about activities at the workshop.

“The operation was carried out following credible intelligence on the activities of some blacksmiths engaged in the illegal fabrication of firearms,” Abdulkarim said.

The police said several items suspected to be linked to illegal arms production were recovered during the raid.

The recovered exhibits included two fabricated pistols, 24 muzzle pipes, nine gun butts, four unserviceable Dane guns, a filing machine and a cutlass.

The command said the items had been taken into custody as part of ongoing investigations into the activities of the suspects.

It added that investigators would work to determine how long the workshop had been operating and whether the firearms were being supplied to criminal groups.

Abdulkarim said the seven suspects were currently in police custody and undergoing interrogation.

He said the investigation would focus on identifying possible collaborators, buyers and the intended use of the weapons allegedly fabricated at the workshop.

The police spokesman added that the Commissioner of Police, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, had ordered an expanded investigation into the matter.

According to him, the directive is aimed at uncovering other illegal firearms fabrication centres and assessing the wider security threat posed by such operations.

The command called on residents of Yobe State to remain vigilant and support security agencies with useful information.

Abdulkarim said community cooperation remained important in the fight against crime, especially in detecting activities linked to illegal weapons production and circulation.

He urged members of the public to report suspicious persons, workshops or movements to the nearest security formation for prompt action.

The police said they would continue to intensify operations across the state to prevent the spread of illegal arms and protect lives and property.