Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested a notorious gun seller popularly known as Markus Akassa, and his aide, Ekioyoufegha Agge, in Akenfa area of the state capital.
The state police command recovered one AK 47 rifle and two Barreta pistols from the suspects.
The State police spokesman, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday that detectives from the Anti-Cultism Unit and the State Intelligence Bureau apprehended the suspects in a coordinated covert operation.
Mr. Asinim, disclosed that the detectives lured the 45-year-old gunrunner from hiding under the guise of purchasing arms from him.
Mr. Asinim said: “They were arrested on June 16, 2018, at 1400hours, at a hotel at Akenfa 3, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. The arms that were recovered from them are one AK47 riffle and two China-made Barreta pistols. The prime suspect confessed that he usually travelled to the Republic of Cameroon to buy arms and ammunition in a community called Okwa, a border town with Bakassi Peninsula. He confessed he usually sells an AK 47 riffle for N550,000 and Barrata pistol for N250,000 in Nigeria.”
Mr. Asinim also announced that a manhunt has been launched to recover some of the guns he earlier sold and arrest the buyers.
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