Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in Plateau State have arrested a suspected gun manufacturer, Sunday Markus Dung, in Ban village in the Heipang district of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.
OPSH said items recovered from the suspect’s factory included 6 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 1 submachine gun, 1 rifle, 1 pistol, and 7 unfinished fabricated rifles.
Others are a lister generator, locally fabricated weapons tools, fabricating materials, military kits, 4 mobile phones, and some money.
Parading the suspect at the OPSH headquarters in Jos, the spokesperson of the 3 Division of Nigerian Army, Rukuba Barrack, Jos, Major Ishaku Sebastine, said the troops of the operation while acting on intelligence information, raided a local weapon manufacturing factory in the area and arrested the suspect.
The suspect, while speaking to journalists, said: “I started learning the business in 2014 when my late father was alive. I don’t have licences to operate the business. I sell each item for N25,000 to vigilantes. All the items you see here belong to my late father. I am only making cartridges to sell.”
Speaking further, the army spokesperson said the arrest came amid continuous efforts of OPSH to address the proliferation of weapons in line with the directives and timeline given by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.
He said the exercise was yielding positive results, assuring that troops would remain committed, firm, and tireless in bringing perpetrators of criminal acts to justice while upholding the rule of law as well as ensuring the safety and well-being of all communities under their watch.
