The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has apprehended three individuals suspected of being arms peddlers in Mfum, a border town on the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
Ndubuisi Eneregbu, Comptroller in Charge of Mfum Border Command, revealed the arrest in a press statement issued on Sunday in Calabar.
According to the Comptroller, two Nigerians and one irregular Cameroonian migrant who admitted to being a member of the Ambazonia separatist group were apprehended on a motorcycle armed with live firearms.
“Among other things, the suspects were discovered with a tiny bag containing incriminating goods such as one Beretta pistol, one locally produced pistol, three live ammunitions, charms, and one TECNO BC3 Android phone.”
“There were four suspects; the fourth, who is still on the loose, left them with the bag holding the incriminating items.”
“Preliminary inquiry revealed that one of the suspects, a Cameroonian, is a member of the Ambazonia separatist group in the Republic of Cameroon,” the statement said.
“The three suspects have been handed over to the Divisional Police Officer Etung Division, Etung Local Government Area for further investigation,” he said.
Despite significant logistical obstacles, he stated that the officers and men were ready to detain anyone found committing illegalities and undermining the country’s economy.
Mfum is a commercial border town in Cross River’s Etung Local Government Area where Nigerians and others participate in international trade.
They conduct trade by transporting commodities such as food, petroleum products, and other goods across the border into the Republic of Cameroon.
