The Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), has handed over a total of 220 recovered small arms and light weapons to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The official handover ceremony took place on Subday, at the OPSH Headquarters in Jos, Plateau State.
Speaking during the event, the Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, noted that the weapons were seized during various security operations aimed at curbing banditry, communal clashes, and other criminal activities within its Joint Operations Area.
The arms included 84 Dane guns, 66 locally fabricated revolver rifles, 27 AK-47 rifles, 8 locally made AK-47 rifles, and several pistols, shotguns, and mortars. In addition, over 1,800 rounds of assorted ammunition were recovered.
The commander emphasised that the recoveries were made possible through a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, which included raids on criminal hideouts, cordon and search operations, stop-and-search patrols, and community engagements.
He added that the troops had not only neutralised armed criminals but also arrested gunrunners and disrupted networks responsible for fueling violence in Plateau and neighboring states.
“The Federal Government, through the establishment of the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons in 2021, is determined to end the proliferation of illicit arms that continues to drive insecurity in the country,” the Commander said, urging citizens to support the ongoing mop-up operations.
He commended OPSH troops for their resilience, professionalism, and dedication to restoring peace in troubled communities while also appreciating residents who provided actionable intelligence that led to many of the recoveries.