A suspected gun manufacturer, Sunday Markus Dung, in Ban village in the Heipang district of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau state, has disclosed he inherited a gun factory from his father.
Sunday made this known after Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) in Plateau State arrested him and recovered six rounds of 7.62mm NATO, one submachine gun, one rifle, one pistol, and seven unfinished fabricated rifles.
Other items recovered from him include a lister generator, locally fabricated weapons tools, fabricating materials, military kits, four mobile phones, and some money.
Parading the suspect at the OPSH headquarters in Jos, the spokesperson of the 3 Division of Nigerian Army, Rukuba Barrack, Jos, Major Ishaku Sebastine said the troops of the operation, while acting on intelligence information, raided a local weapon manufacturing factory in the area and arrested the suspect.
The army spokesperson said the arrest came amid continuous efforts of OPSH to address the proliferation of weapons in line with the directives and timeline given by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja.
He said the exercise yielded positive results, assuring that the troops would remain committed, firm, and tireless in bringing perpetrators of criminal acts to justice while upholding the rule of law and ensuring the safety and well-being of all communities under their watch.
Speaking to journalists, the suspect said: “I started learning the business in 2014 when my late father was alive. I don’t have licences to operate the business. I sell each item for N25,000 to vigilantes. All the items you see here belong to my late father. I am only making cartridges to sell.”
