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Surrender Illegal Firearms In Seven Days, Rivers Police Warn Groups
The Rivers State Police Command has given a seven-day ultimatum to all groups or individuals in possession of illegal firearms to return same to the appropriate police formations or face severe consequences.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police Nnamdi Omoni, gave the assertion in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt at the weekend, stating that the mop up of arms was not targeted at any particular group in the state.
He said the directive to recover the illegal arms was from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to all state police commands, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He added that only one vigilante group had so far surrendered their arms to the police, stressing that the essence of the exercise was for all who bear or desire to bear firearms do so legally.
Omoni said: “Only the Choba OSPAC vigilance group has submitted their firearms, the window is still open for other groups to turn in their arms before we go after them.
“The idea is nobody should bear arms without the proper procedure. If you have arms with you without following the proper procedure, then, you have fallen foul of the law, and you will be dealt with accordingly.
“The Commissioner of Police, in his magnanimity, has decided to give them one week within which to turn in these arms, otherwise the IGP’s directive is clear that the order be enforced with immediate effect”, Omoni emphasised.
He said that indiscriminate and unlawful bearing of arms portends grave danger to the society, adding that no one was above the law, irrespective of class; hence, none was exempted from the exercise.
“This turning in of prohibited arms to the police is not targeted at anybody, it is a directive of the Inspector General of Police across the country, including Abuja. Big men are not exempted, nobody is above the law, what we are doing is, if you must carry firearms, you must acquire them lawfully, if you are mentally incapacitated, you cannot bear firearms. When we see these arms indiscriminately in the hands of persons, it portends a lot of danger for the society”, he added.
Omoni warned that after the expiration of the deadline, the law would catch up with anyone found in possession of illegal firearms.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has arrested the prime suspect and four others over the kidnap of a 65-year-old man, Mr Sokari Braide.
Braide died two days after he regained freedom.
His captors had collected N1.2million ransom before his release from their captivity.
Braide was kidnapped at Elechi Waterfront Phase 2, Mile 1, Diobu in Port Harcourt, last week, when gunmen invaded his residence, shooting sporadically.
The prime suspect, Perfect Agbasi, who happens to be the victim’s in-law, told journalists at the state Police Command Headquarters during a parade, last Friday, that the leader of the kidnap gang contacted him after the incident to give him the victim’s wife’s phone number.
Agbasi disclosed that he contacted one Gentle, who gave him the phone number and he later went to see the kidnappers in Ogoni before being taken to Andoni, where the victim was kept.
He confirmed that the kidnappers gave him N20, 000 for getting the victim’s wife’s mobile number for them.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.