April polls: SSS uncovers gun factory in Enugu, 4 suspects arrested

Posted by admin Elections 2011 Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Few weeks to the commencement of the 2011 general elections in the country, the State Security Service (SSS) in Enugu State has uncovered an illegal factory where guns are manufactured in Agbada, Nenwe in the Aninri Local Government Area of the state. Four of the five suspects who are believed to run the illegal factory were also arrested while one of them is still at large.
The Enugu SSS Director, Mr. Tanimoa Adalkhali who briefed newsmen in Enugu yesterday about the development disclosed that the discovery was made through intelligence reports.

He explained that the guns found at the factory were similar to the ones used by armed robbers in various robbery incidents in the state. “It is the same type of guns used in perpetrating other crimes in the state and could as well be used by political thugs during this election period.”

Adalkhali said the stunning aspect of the discovery was the ability of the suspects to produce weapons with the capacity to kill and not just to maim. He noted that in preparation for the forthcoming election, the SSS had repositioned itself to counter and contain threats that could disrupt the election process.

“It is to this direction that the command successfully carried out an operation with military back-up in which four arms manufacturers were arrested.” He said the service would continue to carry out such operations until all illegal arms in circulation were mopped up in the state. “The best thing is to get to the sources of these arms and get rid of them so that Nigerians can peacefully cast their votes during the elections,” Adalkhali said.

The SSS director who displayed the weapons before newsmen noted that the short range pistols manufactured by the suspects were as dangerous as any pistol one could think about. Among items recovered from the factory were 20 single barrel long range guns, three single barrel short range guns, one Marrison riffle, foreign double barrel long range gun, two locally made long range double barrel guns, three locally made double barrel short range pistols, one double barrel short dane gun and one single barrel short range pistol. Others were five long range engines, 19 engines with butt, 56 single barrels, 12 cannons, four double barrels, one revolver barrel, one box of scrap, box of tools, one carbide cylinder, empty cartridges, two drilling machines among others.
The SSS director said he would not parade the suspects yet as they were still being interrogated and since they had not arrested the fifth suspect.

-Sunwp_posts