By Ismail Auwal
The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has on Wednesday paraded suspects who allegedly manufacture locally fabricated AK-47 rifles in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The NPF said the rifles match their foreign equivalent in lethal value and sophistication.
The Force Public Relations Officers (FPRO) Frank Mba, while parading the two suspects with 79 others, said they were arrested by operatives of two major units of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the force across the country.
They were arrested for various offences ranging from kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, culpable homicide and gunrunning to illegal production and distribution of fake number plates.
The two suspects connected with the illegal local production of the AK-47 rifles, Joe Michael and Iliya Bulus, were arrested for alleged fabrication of the weapons.
Mba disclosed that during the raid on the illegal factory, 20 pieces of locally Ak-47 rifles were recovered by operatives who had been on the trail of the suspects for a very long time.
He said the illicit production and distribution of very effective and lethal weapons has become a menace.
In a related development, Mba paraded a three-man gang over alleged mass production and distribution of specialised fake number plates comprising the presidency, diplomatic missions and others.
He explained that the suspects were apprehended in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State by crack detectives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS).
Also, a four-man gang of kidnappers, who reportedly kidnapped a university lecturer, Professor Aliyu Mohammed, in Zaria, Kaduna State, were paraded.
He said they were also responsible for the death of Abba Abbey, an aide to Senator Wammako.
Mba said the suspects were arrested while attempting to abduct a Catholic archbishop in Kaduna State recently.
In addition, the police paraded an undergraduate of the University of Jos masterminding the killing of his friend who lent him N500,000 for his wedding.
