July 31, 2023

The Special Military Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) maintaining peace in Plateau and environs, said it recovered 130 illegal weapons in the state and other areas of its joint operation.

Maj.-Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar, the Commander of Operation, disclosed this when he handed over the recovered weapons to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) on Monday in Jos.

Abubakar, who reiterated the commitment towards stemming the tide of insecurity in the Plateau, said both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches were used in the recovery of the weapons.

“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 illagle 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,” he said.

Abubakar, who thanked residents of the state for their support and cooperation in achieving the feat, promised that troops of the operation would continue to be just and fair to all.

“We will sustain the tempo in order to decisively curtail the activties of criminal elements in our joint area of operation.

“We will remain professional, decisive and responsive in the discharge of our constitutional mandate,” he said.

Receiving the illegal weapons, Maj.-Gen. Hamza Bature, the North-Central Coordinator of the centre, commended the efforts of OPSH in tackling insecurity in the state.

“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.

“So, we call on the public to support the military and other security agencies through information sharing and intelligence gathering to end all forms of insecurity in our nation,” he said. (NAN)