An Artisan resident in Ekpoma, Edo State has been arrested by men of zone five Police, Benin City for allegedly being in possession of thirty one locally-fabricated Single Barrel Guns and one English made Double Barrel Gun.
The Suspect was paraded alongside his eighty year old Landlord at the zone five Headquarters in Benin city, on Friday.
The Suspects, fifty year old Godday Ebhodaghe and eighty year old Ehichoya Omowaide were brought to the zone five Headquarters in Benin City from Ekpoma to answer questions bothering on how thirty one locally made firearms got into their possession.
According to the public relations officer Tijani Momoh, the determination of the Assistant Inspector General AIG Zone five, Arungwa Nwazue to mop up illegal Firearms and Ammunition in the State especially as the Governorship elections draws close prompted a raid of his workshop at Illeh Community in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo state.
An artisan, Godday Ebhodaghe was thereafter arrested with thirty one locally made guns and his items of trade comprising drilling machines and working tools while eighty year old Ehichoya Omowaide was arrested for being the owner of the property where the suspect operated from.
The main suspect, Godday Ebhodaghe who identified himself as a blacksmith however, denied being the owner of the firearms , but agreed that they were in his possession brought to him for repairs by different persons including Hunters and Local Vigilance Group.
The Police image maker however reiterated the resolve of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone Five to ensure that people were safe to carry out their lawful activities with an appeal for them to report all suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
