The Nigerian Police yesterday seized firearms and several rounds of ammunition when they intercepted 2 Toyota Hummer bus along the Abakaliki-Ogoja Federal Highway.
The incident which happened at about 6:30pm before Onu-Ebonyi bridge Nwaezeyi, in Izzi local government of Ebonyi state, came after one month a herder attacked and killed three persons in Igbegu community, which is close to the scene of the arrest.
One of the bus was bearing the inscription "Taraba Express" with fleet No. 004 and had tinted glass and the other had "The People’s Choice" boldly written at the back of the bus.
Both were intercepted by policemen on stop-and-search duty after the bridge along that axis of the federal highway.
Anonymous who doesn’t want his name on print and was at the scene, told Daily Trust that 7 fulianians boarded the bus which had Lagos state registration plate number.
"The incident happened at about 6:30 pm, after Onu-Ebonyi bridge, Nwaezeyi. It was the Policemen on "Safer Highway Operations" that stop the bus and as normal with their usual stop and search operation they found firearms and Army uniforms stocked in three big sacks.
"Also found were uncountable ammunitions, rifles which is above 16 in number including explosives, local charm, and fresh blood in a 2 litre can", the anonymous told Daily Trust.
The reliable source added that the weapons such as the rifles were hide in big sack bags while the other were put in cartons by the suspects.
But at the time of filing in this report, Our correspondent who was at the State Police Command gathered that the 2 Hummer bus in question are now at the custody of police.
But Spokesperson of the state command, ASP Loveth Odah claimed that the suspects were Nollywood actors who were going to their location to shoot film.
“Yes, we intercepted buses carrying some persons with arms and ammunition going to Taraba but they are not herdsmen, they are
Nollywood actors.
"They were wearing army uniforms and were investigating the matter. I will give details of the matter as soon as we got every detail”, she said.
When contacted the Senior Adviser to the state governor on Internal Security, Dr. Kenneth Ogballa confirmed that he heard of the interception of buses on Friday evening.
He maintained that he would soon be with command to know the exact situation over the development.
"Yes, l heard the story on Friday evening while l was away from the state yesterday but right now am entering the state and in few minutes l will be at the command to find out the true about the incident", he said.
Similarly there are still contradictory statements among the 7 suspects arrested by the police as one among them denied having an knowledge of going to location for film making.
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