Police Nab 25-Year-Old with Locally Made Pistol on Enugu Border

A 25-year-old man has been arrested by the Enugu State Police Command for allegedly being in possession of a locally made pistol during a border security operation along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.

The police said the arrest was made as part of ongoing operations under the Nigeria Police Force’s Handshake Patrol initiative aimed at curbing the movement of illegal firearms and other criminal activities across state boundaries.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the suspect, identified as Ogbonna Nnaji, was apprehended by operatives of the Command’s Distress Response Squad (DRS) during a stop-and-search operation at Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area, near the Enugu-Anambra boundary.

According to the statement, the operatives recovered a concealed locally made double-barrel pistol from the suspect during a search.

The command said preliminary investigation showed that Nnaji boarded a commercial Toyota Sienna bus at Solution Park in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, and was travelling to Enugu before he was intercepted by the police team.

It added that investigations were ongoing to determine the source of the firearm and establish whether the suspect had links to other criminal activities.

The police said the suspect would be arraigned upon the conclusion of investigations.

The command noted that the latest arrest came barely four days after operatives of the Distress Response Squad recorded a similar breakthrough by intercepting another suspect travelling in a tricycle and recovering a firearm during a border security operation.

It said the back-to-back recoveries reflected the command’s sustained efforts to strengthen intelligence-led policing and prevent the movement of illegal firearms into Enugu State.

Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the operatives for their vigilance and professionalism.

He reiterated the command’s commitment to sustaining robust border patrols and other proactive policing strategies aimed at tackling crime across the state.

The police commissioner also appealed to residents to remain security conscious and support ongoing security efforts by providing credible and timely information to law enforcement agencies.