By Duchess Ifeoluwa
Ondo State Police Command has arrested a welder, identified as Andy Giwa, for allegedly being in possession of a locally fabricated pistol at his workshop in Uso, Owo Local Government Area of the state.
The arrest followed credible intelligence received by the Police on September 11, 2026, that Giwa, a resident of Imogun Street, Uso, was allegedly working on a pistol at his workshop.
Acting on the information, operatives attached to the Uso Police Division proceeded to the workshop, where they recovered one locally fabricated pistol and arrested the suspect.
The Police said Giwa was taken to the station for preliminary questioning, during which he reportedly claimed that the recovered firearm belonged to another individual whose identity had not yet been established and who was currently at large.
The Command said efforts had consequently been intensified to identify and apprehend the alleged owner of the firearm, while investigators would also establish the circumstances surrounding its possession, manufacture and intended use.
The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, CP Felix Ohagwu, has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet and comprehensive investigation.
The investigation, according to the Command, would determine the source and purpose of the firearm and establish whether other individuals were connected to the matter.
The Police said the arrest underscored the importance of timely and credible information from members of the public in preventing crime and disrupting activities capable of threatening public safety.
CP Ohagwu commended the citizen whose information enabled the Police to swiftly intervene and recover the firearm before it could potentially be used to perpetrate a criminal act.
The Commissioner urged residents of the state to continue providing credible intelligence to the Police, assuring members of the public that the identities of informants would be treated with utmost confidentiality and protected in accordance with established security protocols.
The Command also reiterated its commitment to preventing the proliferation and unlawful possession of firearms in Ondo State, saying it would continue to deploy intelligence-led policing and proactive operations to identify and disrupt activities capable of endangering lives and property.
The Police urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons, movements, activities or possession of firearms to the nearest Police formation or through the Command’s official communication channels.
The Command stressed that timely and credible information remained critical to effective policing and the collective effort to safeguard lives and property across the state.
