The Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), has officially handed over 220 recovered illegal weapons to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), reinforcing ongoing efforts to stem the tide of armed violence in Nigeria.
The handover ceremony took place on Sunday at the OPSH Headquarters in Jos, Plateau State.
Speaking at the event, OPSH Commander, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, revealed that the weapons were recovered during a series of security operations targeting banditry, communal conflicts, and other criminal activities across the task force’s Joint Operations Area.
The cache of recovered arms includes 84 Dane guns, 66 locally fabricated revolver rifles, 27 AK-47 rifles, 8 locally made AK-47 rifles, as well as pistols, shotguns, mortars, and over 1,800 rounds of assorted ammunition.
Major General Oyinlola attributed the success of the operations to a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, such as targeted raids, cordon-and-search missions, stop-and-search patrols, and community engagement efforts. He noted that the operations not only led to the seizure of weapons but also to the arrest of gunrunners and the dismantling of criminal networks fueling violence in Plateau and neighboring states.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to controlling the proliferation of illicit arms, a mandate underscored by the establishment of NCCSALW in 2021.
“The fight against illegal arms is far from over,” he said, urging citizens to support the ongoing disarmament efforts by providing timely and credible information to security agencies.
The Commander also praised OPSH personnel for their professionalism and resilience, and expressed gratitude to community members whose intelligence reports were crucial in many of the successful operations.
He called on the public to remain vigilant, law-abiding, and cooperative in the collective mission to ensure lasting peace and security in the region.
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