The police have recovered three AK-47 rifles, six magazines and 104 rounds of ammunition from two suspected arms couriers involved in a motorcycle accident in Suleja area of Niger State.
Police spokesperson in the state, Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a crime bulletin issued on Thursday in Minna.
He said the incident occurred at about 9:50 p.m. on Tuesday when a patrol team attached to Gawu-Babangida Division was conducting a stop-and-search operation in the Boyi-Sarki/Toll Gate axis.
According to him, the team received a distress call that two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle from Tafa area of Kaduna State towards the Abuja axis had crashed into a road construction diversion barrier near the toll gate.
“The patrol team moved to the scene. On arrival, a sack recovered from the accident victims was searched, and three AK-47 rifles with six magazines and 104 rounds of ammunition were found in the bag belonging to the suspects,” Mr Abiodun said.
He added that one of the suspects died on the spot from injuries sustained in the crash, while the second was lynched by a mob as police officers attempted to evacuate him to hospital.
The bodies were later deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Suleja.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, condemned the mob action, describing it as jungle justice.
He said the suspect could have provided useful information to help the police determine the source and intended use of the weapons.
Mr Elleman directed the area commander in Suleja to commence a thorough investigation and ensure the arrest of those involved in the lynching.
He added that the recovered rifles have been subjected to ballistic analysis.
In a separate development, the police said they arrested a robbery suspect and recovered a stolen motorcycle in Kagara area of the state.
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Mr Abiodun said a victim reported that on 11 February around 7 p.m., he was attacked by unknown persons while riding his motorcycle to Kwanan-Mariga.
The assailants allegedly used sticks to strike him, causing him to fall and sustain serious injuries before making away with the motorcycle.
Following the report, operatives attached to Kagara Division launched an investigation and arrested a 40-year-old suspect, Umar Mansir, in Kwanan-Mariga while he was allegedly attempting to sell the motorcycle at Baban-Rami.
Police said the suspect confessed to the crime and named two accomplices, Abdullahi Garba and Danar Ilya, who are currently at large.
The motorcycle has been recovered, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects, the police said.