The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad has arrested five individuals allegedly involved in illegal firearms possession, gun running, kidnapping, banditry, and job racketeering.

The spokesperson for the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

“The squad arrested five suspects who were allegedly involved in illegal possession of firearms, gun running, kidnapping, banditry and job racketeering,” the statement read.

Among the items recovered during the operation were two automatic rifles with three magazines, an AK-47 rifle with 15 live rounds of ammunition, an FN rifle with two live rounds, one live cartridge, and nine locally fabricated pistols.

Additionally, a bayonet and two pairs of uniforms from the Nigerian Forest Security Services were seized.

The statement added the suspects arrested were identified as Umar Ibrahim, 35, Nura Abubakar, 20, and Mohammed Sule, 20.

They were detained in Ukoso Komva Ward, Wamba Local Government Area of Nasarawa State,

“They were apprehended on their way to deliver it to the buyer,” Afolabi noted.

During questioning, the suspects claimed they had been deceived into participating in the illegal act by a man named Ali, who is currently on the run. The suspects stated that they were apprehended on their way to complete the sale of the weapons.

In their confessions, the suspects appealed to others to refrain from engaging in such criminal activities and pleaded for leniency.

The operation also led to the arrest of a volunteer with the Nigerian Forest Security Services, in Bauchi State, Lar Changkur.

Changkur is suspected of being involved in gunrunning.

Additionally, a 62-year-old man, Felix Clerkson, was arrested in Nasarawa State for job racketeering.

“During preliminary Investigation, over 120 fake letters of appointment into the NSCDC were recovered.

“Clerkson, who was picked up at Nasarawa Eggon in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State following a tip-off, admitted to having defrauded desperate and unsuspecting victims to the whopping sum of over N26m.

“Our ongoing investigation however revealed that the suspect has swindled his victims to the tune of N55m, part of which he shared with his accomplices currently at large but are being trailed by our men,” the statement added.

All suspects will be charged in court following the completion of investigations, the statement concluded.

The Nigeria Police on Wednesday arraigned a 65-year-old man, Charles Atideka, before the Igbosere Magistrate Court in Lagos State for alleged unlawful possession of an American Beretta Pistol (Smith & Wesson model) and giving false information.

Atideka, whose residential address was not given, was accused of giving the police false information against his late sister’s children over a land and property dispute.

The defendant who is facing three counts bordering on conspiracy, giving false information and unlawful possession of firearms, preferred against him, by the police, was brought before Magistrate Oluwatosin Adejobi.

The prosecutor, Inspector Cyriacus Osuji, told the court that the defendant and others who are at large conspired to commit the alleged offences.

Osuji told the court that the incident occurred on September 7, 2023, at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Musiliu Smith Road, Adekunle, Yaba area of Lagos state.

He said Atideka gave false information to a public officer while being in possession of unlawful firearms.

The prosecutor told the court that the defendant gave false information to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police via a petition dated September 4, 2023, through his lawyer, Sanni Muritala, and alleged that Segun Asogba and Daniel Asogba and others who are his late sister, Mrs Atideka Raymon‘s children invaded his residence with an American-made Beretta Pistol, (Smith & Wesson model), purposely to kill him, information he knew to be false.

Osuji also told the court that Atideka unlawfully had in his possession the said pistol purporting the same to have been brought by his deceased sister’s children, Segun Asogba and Daniel Asogba, over a land and property dispute.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 411, 96, of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015 and Section 27 (1), (b) of the Firearms Act Cap F 28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Adejobi granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2m, with two sureties in like sum.

She ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed, and show evidence of three years of tax payment to the Lagos State government and means of identification.

He was however remanded at the Correctional Centre pending when he can perfect his bail conditions.

Adejobi adjourned the case till January 30, 2025, for mention.