Police in Osun State have arrested and paraded a blacksmith and two other men for alleged unlawful possession of single-barrel guns and cartridges.
The command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, while parading the suspects at the the Command’s headquarters, said the blacksmith, Isaac Alagbe, 60, was arrested by police operatives in Ada, Boripe Local Government Area, on July 24, 2024, for the fabrication of single-barrel guns and the sale of cartridges to suspected criminals.
The other two suspects, Shina Bamgbose, 50, and Babatunde Oyebode, 22, were arrested along with the blacksmith during the raid by the police.
She said: “On July 24, 2024, upon intelligence received that a blacksmith, one Isaac Alagbe, aka ‘Ogun Kofeke’ of Odo Amun community in Ada, had been fabricating single barrel guns and selling live cartridges to suspected criminals, police detectives from Ikirun Division immediately swooped on the location. Two suspects, the fabricator and a buyer, were arrested. In the process of the arrest, another buyer (the third suspect) came to the scene on a motorcycle with a Dane gun.”
Items recovered after the arrest include 10 single-barrel guns, one Dane gun, three live cartridges, a machete, criminal charms and amulets, borings packed in small milk sachets, a master key and several instruments used in gun fabrication.
When interviewed by journalists, Alagbe said he inherited the job from his late father and has been making guns for hunters, local vigilante, among others.
He also said the live bullets found at the point of arrest belong to Oyebode.
“I have been doing this (making guns) for some years. I inherited the job from my father. The bullets were brought by him (Oyebode) who wanted me to repair his gun.” Alagbe said.
Oyebode admitted that he brought a gun and the bullets to Alagbe. He however said the bullets were procured by him from a man.
Opalola said the suspects would be charged in court after a conclusive investigation.
