Blacksmith in police net for manufacturing locally made guns
Police in Jigawa State have arrested a blacksmith who manufactures locally made guns and four other suspects found in possession of illegal firearms.
The state police’s commissioner, Usman Tilli Abubakar, made the disclosure while parading the suspects in Dutse, saying luck ran out on them when one of the suspects, Sale Mihammed, came to the police station in Birniwa Local Government Area with a view to lodging a complaint over a theft of his property.
He said that complainant was found the
to be illegally in possession of locally made pistol loaded with life ammunition.
The police boss added that Mohammed reported to the police that the sesame seeds he was entrusted with for safe keeping was stolen, but when investigation commenced, the complainant became a suspect over the matter.
He said that when investigation led to a search of his house, three more locally made pistols were recovered from him.
Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to have obtained the locally made pistols from a blacksmith, Mohammed Zailani, of Tukuikui village of Guri Local Government Area.
The commissioner of police stated that investigation also led to the arrest of two more suspects, Sari Musa and Ali Ibrahim, who bought a muzzle loading gun from Zailani.
He said: “Sale Mohammad of Birniwa LGA reported to the police that the sesame seeds he was entrusted with for safe keeping was stolen. While searching him, a locally made single barrel pistol with one round of live cartridge was recovered from him. The man, now a suspect, confessed to have bought one of the locally made pistols with a round of live cartridge from one Shu’aibu Adamu of Kumsa Village in Birniwa LGA. The revolver, locally made pistol, together with a double barrel pistol, were sold to him by one Kulka of Nguru in Yobe State.
“One Sarki Musa and Ali Inrahim, both of Birniwa town were arrested for interrogation in relation to the buying of muzzle loading guns from the same blacksmith.”
On his part, the blacksmith who claimed to be a hunter and a member of vigilante group said he manufactured the locally made gun on the request of his colleagues in the vigilante group.
He added that he once manufactured two different guns for colleague at the cost of N3,000 each, adding that he manufactured the guns for them because he knew they needed them to fight criminals.
Mohammad said: “These are people that I work with as members of vigilante group, I know their character, and they cannot use the weapon in committing crime. 17 years ago, I made two guns for one of the vigilantes and, to date, he was never found wanting.”