By Thompson Yamput
The Kogi Government has ordered residents in possession of illegal arms to surrender them or face the consequences.
The government issued the directive in a statement, in Lokoja on Tuesday, by the Commissioner for information, Mr Kingsley Fanwo.
“This action became imperative in view of the fact that we have realised an increase in proliferation of firearms in the state.
“And we cannot afford a situation where firearms are in the hands of people who are neither licensed nor trained to handle them, ” he said.
Fanwo said Gov. Yahaya Bello has set up Special Task Force on illegal firearms and approved the appointment of Elder Friday Sanni as its Director-General.
The commissioner said that the Taskforce was mandated to receive all illegal firearms.
The Commissioner therefore advised those in possession of such firearms to voluntarily submit them to the government without delay.
“Government resolved to set up the Special Task Force as part of recalibration efforts in the security architecture of the state,” he added.
According to him, the measure will stop criminal elements from perpetrating their nefarious activities.
“This is because Gov Yahaya Bello’s administration is committed to ensuring criminality is reduced to near-zero level in the state,” Fanwo added.
NAN reports that Sanni, the task force chairman, is a former member of Kogi House of Assembly with vast knowledge in security matters. NAN
