The Department of State Services has arrested a number of bandits and other criminal elements across the country and seized a large cache of lethal weapons from bandits and gunmen operating from different parts of the country hours to the 2023 elections.
The DSS Public Relations Officer, Dr Peter Afunanya disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, debunking allegations that the agency’s operations in Kano State were targeted at a political party.
Items recovered from the said property in Kano State include a gun, daggers, swords, and jack-knives among others.
The DSS likewise arrested suspected gun runners in Kaduna and Zamfara states, including one Aliyu Yahaya who runs guns for a suspected bandit, Kachalla Damina operating around Dansadau in Zamfara State. Weapons recovered include RPMG rifles and caches of ammunition.
The secret police further arrested one Fajuwon Isaac in Delta State and recovered over four thousand five hundred rounds of pump action rifle ammunition among other weapons, while in Anambra State four suspects were arrested in possession of one AK-47, and about four thousand rounds of AK-47 ammunition.
While assuring safety for all Nigerians before, during, and after the elections, the DSS called on the electorate to maintain law and order.
“The DSS assures of its commitment to a peaceful exercise. It pledges its neutrality, professionalism, and good conduct of its personnel to the democratic process.
“It will continue to discharge its mandate of disseminating timely, actionable, and proactive intelligence necessary for tactical, operational, and strategic decisions even beyond the elections,” Afunanya said.
CHECKPOINTCHARLEY 