Police find illegal gun workshop, arrest seven in Yobe

The Yobe State Police have found an illegal gun-making workshop in Potiskum Local Government Area. They arrested seven people suspected of making guns.

The police said the suspects were caught during a raid on a blacksmith workshop at Tasha Adua along Danchuwa Road in Potiskum on Monday.

This information was shared in a statement on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim.

"The Yobe State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its sustained efforts to combat crime and criminality across the state," the statement said.

According to the statement, officers from the Potiskum Area Command worked with the Divisional Police Headquarters. They acted on intelligence about the illegal gun-making activities in the area.

Abdulkarim mentioned that the suspects were arrested and several items were taken from the workshop. The recovered items included two homemade pistols, 24 muzzle pipes, nine gun butts, four damaged Dane guns, a filing machine, and a cutlass.

"The operation was carried out following credible intelligence on the activities of some blacksmiths engaged in the illegal fabrication of firearms," Abdulkarim said.

He added that the suspects are in custody and are being investigated to find any partners, buyers, and how the weapons were to be used.

Abdulkarim also said the Commissioner of Police, Usman Kanfani Jibrin, has ordered a broader investigation. This will help find other illegal gun-making sites and look into the security risks of these activities.

He urged residents to stay alert and report any suspicious activities to the police.