The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Salihu Garba, said the police command arrested a 2013 graduate of Industrial Chemistry from Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, in Oyo, Mr. Ogirimah Momoh, for illegal possession of fire-arms, impersonation and criminal intimidation. Garba said that about 12.20pm on Friday, Mr. Al-Amin Lukman from Tanke, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital reported at E. Division Kulende, Ilorin that one Momoh came to his shop at Zango in Ilorin and threatened his unnamed employee with a Beretta pistol No. A07078Z.
The CP added that on receipt of the information, the police patrol team at Kulende moved to the residence of the suspect and arrested him. He said when the house of the suspect was searched, more discoveries were made. According to him, the police recovered the Beretta pistol, a revolver pistol No. Ruhmfg 799 ABL; one locally made double barrel; 133 pieces of 7.62mm ammunition; 28 pieces of .9mm ammunition; 22 pieces of 7.6mm ammunition and three bullet proof vests.
The CP also said the police recovered from the suspect’s residence, one respirator; one complete set of body protector; three blasts; one hand grenade, 11 smoke cartridges and 86 life cartridges. He added that 86 life cartridges, 422 pieces of 5.56mm; two pieces of .36mm ammunition; 27 life rubber cartridges; two handcuffs with key; one Fulani knife nine 9mm rubber bullets and one anti-riot helmet were also recovered at the suspect’s residence.
Momoh was held on allegations of illegal possession of fire-arms, impersonation and criminal intimidation. But Momoh who is an indigene of Ibira from Kogi State, said he was the son of a late Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Mr. Mohammed Momoh, who died when a team of policemen on an operation were ambushed by Ombatse cults in Nasarawa State about two years ago.
Momoh explained that the arms were kept in the house by his father before he died. He said he never used the arms for robbery or other criminal activities and regretted that he took one of the guns to threaten some one that he had a quarrel with. He regretted not informing the police about the arms. The suspect said:
“My father, late ACP Mohammed Momoh, died during the Nasarawa police killings. It is unfortunate that I did not return all these to the police after his death. My father though was not in armoury department, but he had access to the arms and ammunition because of his position.”
“The man who reported me had an issue with my younger brother. My brother owed him some money and he got him arrested because of that. I was upset with my brother. But when we saw each other, he accused me of trying to run away from the issue. Because I was shouting at him, he hooked up my shirt, slapped me, saying I was an armed robber. That is why I retaliated by using a gun to threaten him the following day.”
Meanwhile, the CP stated that police officers from his command at about 12.45pm last Saturday also arrested a suspect, Jacob Idowu, for unlawful possession of fire-arm. He added that the police recovered from the suspect, one locally made pistol and one expended cartridge and quantity of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp.
Garba said Idowu, a resident of Aribidesi Gbagba area of Ilorin, and his gang members were smoking weeds at a politician’s campaign office, in Asa-Dam area of Ilorin while a rally was ongoing. According to him, the suspect started firing sporadically into the air and consequently caused disturbance of public peace.
The CP added that Idowu was later arrested by the police and the exhibits were recovered from him when he was searched.