Troops of the Special Military Task Force, Operation Safe Haven, which is responsible for keeping peace in Plateau State and its surroundings, , announced yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State capital that it has recovered 130 illegal firearms in the state and other regions of its joint operation.
Major-General Abdusalam Abubakar, the Commander of Operations, revealed this when he turned over the recovered weapons to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), noting that both kinetic and non-kinetic tactics were used in the collection of the weapons.
According to him, “our troops have remained resolute in checkmating all forms of crime and violence; troops have equally maintained an offensive posture, conducting several kinetic operations, leading to huge recovery of illegal weapons. On the whole, the operational success recorded by troops of OPSH led to the recovery of 130 small arms and light weapons from criminal elements.
“Out of the number, we have 29 dane guns, 53 fabricated revolver rifles, 14 AK-47 rifles, one English pistol, 21 locally fabricated pistols, one G3 rifle and eight locally fabricated AK-47 rifles.
“Others are nine Harris Burg pistols, two locally fabricated SMG, 28 AK-47 and three locally fabricated magazines, one RPG7 tube, four RPG7 rockets with chargers, 1,522 rounds of ammunitions and 500 rounds of 9mm ammunitions, among others.”
Upon receiving the illegal weapons, Major.-General Hamza Bature, North-Central Coordinator of NCCSALW, praised OPSH’s efforts in combating insecurity in the state.
He said: “This is the second time OPSH is handing over recovered illegal weapons to us and we commend them for this effort. If one weapon is recovered from an unauthorised person, it means several lives have been saved.”
