Commissioner of Police warn against rising trend of counterfeit AK-47s, other pistols in Lagos

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, has expressed the rising trend of local firearms fabrication by criminal elements, with criminals producing fake foreign-made pistols, AK47s, and other rifles.

Owohunwa disclosed this on Wednesday at the unveiling of the state command Complaint Response Unit by the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

He stated that the prevalence of this trend, coupled with the surge in activities linked to cult groups, poses a significant threat to the security landscape within the state.

“Hardly does a day pass by without the ever-vigilant operatives of the command recovering weapons and illicit drugs of various descriptions at stop and search points, raids of black spots, and other operational engagements, with all such recoveries linked to the perfection of crimes across the state,” Owohunwa stated.

“Most worrisome in all this is a noticeable trend that indicates an increasing local expertise in the fabrication of various types of firearms, including replicas of foreign-made pistols, AK-47s, and other rifles.”

The police commissioner, however, called on all strategic state actors and citizens to complement the efforts of the police in rolling back the dangerous tide.

Owohunwa noted that the command would organise a conference in the coming weeks in a bid to initiate a discourse to contain cultism and violent crimes in the state.

He also added that the command is constantly confronted with the challenge of dissecting and dealing with the thin line between the civil and criminal dynamics of land disputes, which are also prevalent in the state.

Meanwhile, Owohunwa, the acting Inspector-General of Police, admonished police officers to shun unprofessional conduct and show commitment to professionalism, noting that complaints of extortion against police officers have tarnished the reputation of the force.

Egbetokun disclosed that personnel mobilisation had started in response to the proposed creation of a special intervention squad, stating that the initiative aligns with the ongoing efforts to eradicate criminal elements from troubled regions across the country.

He added that since his arrival at the office, necessary steps have been taken to ensure that crime is reduced to its barest minimum, to restore security to troubled areas, and to get rid of criminal elements that were terrorising motorists along the Abuja-Kaduna route.

“We are embarking on the establishment of a special intervention squad. We have started mobilisation to make a success of that. And very soon, the SIS will start operation in the states that we have chosen as pilot states. Just give us a little more time, and you will start seeing our actions yield results,” he added.