UNBELIEVABLE: 19 YEAR OLD BOY CAUGHT MANUFACTURING GUNS IN PLATEAU

Eric Labari, a 19-year-old gun manufacturer, has been arrested by Operation Safe Haven military task force in charge of security in Plateau and Southern Kaduna, NAN reports.

The Commander of the task force, Maj. Gen. Nicholas Rojas, made the disclosure when he briefed newsmen in Jos on Wednesday.

He said that Labari was arrested when OPSH personnel apprehended one of his customers, Bensahak Nandom.

He said that Nandom was caught on his way to Jos from Mangu where he was going to resell the gun he bought from Labari.

“Somebody was arrested with a pistol and some ammunition and after investigation, he said that he bought it from somebody.

“He led us to the person he bought it from, he led us to the young man who has a warehouse where he fabricates different brands of weapons.

“He has his fabricating machine, his cutters, shapers and so many other things used in fabrication,” Rojas explained.

Labari, who was allowed to speak to newsmen, said that he dropped out of Government Technical College, Bukuru near Jos, when his parents could no longer afford his school fees.

He said that he went into the business without the knowledge of his parents to raise some money.

The gun manufacturer said he designs and manufactures the guns single-handedly.

“I learn the manufacturing of arms from Government Technical College, Bukuru, and I have been in the business for about a year now.

“I manufactured the first single barrel with six shoot sprayers and sold it N11,000 to the person that was arrested and I also sold single barrel at the cost N3,500,” Labari said.

Nandom on his part said that he bought the gun to resell to somebody in Jos who needed it for protection.

The suspect said that he was caught on his way to deliver the gun.

The task force displayed different weapons and materials for fabrication recovered from Labari’s warehouse.

Meanwhile, the OPSH commander has warned that the task force would not condone any act of lawlessness from any group in the state.

Rojas gave the warning on the background of the face-off between members of the task force and motorcycle riders on Tuesday in Mangu Local Government.

He said that a soldier and policeman were injured while one of the riders was shot while trying to escape.

The commander said that some arrest have been made in connection with the incident and that investigation was still ongoing.