Security operatives at the Kogi State Polytechnic have arrested one Shehu Mohammed for being in possession of a locally fabricated revolver pistol.
Mohammed is a National Diploma II student of the Department of Public Administration of the institution, with matriculation number 2018/ND/PAD/170.
In addition to the illegal possession of the pistol, he was apprehended with five rounds of live ammunition while making his way through the main entrance of the school on Friday.
The student, who was coming to the campus purportedly to write his ND II final examination, was accosted by a ‘stop and search’ officer who asked him to hand over his belongings.
He, however, took to his heels when he realised he would be caught with the live ammunition and has since been handed over to the appropriate law enforcement agency for further interrogation and investigation.
In his reaction, the rector of the polytechnic, Dr Salisu Usman, assured members of staff and students of the school that no stone would be left unturned in restoring sanity to the campus.
He also commended the security unit of the institution for a job well done and appealed to members of the polytechnic community to always be on the side of the law.
Mohammed’s arrest followed the ban on end-of-examination celebrations by the school authorities in view of an intelligence report that suspected cultists planned to storm the campus with arms for reprisal after their colleague was killed following the examination in 2019.
This made the management of the school beef up security on the campus, including daily routine check at the polytechnic entrance and the premises.
On Thursday, the security operatives of the institution impounded a tricycle alleged to be used as a decoy for hiding arms and releasing gunshots outside the school gate.
Similarly, they arrested a non-student suspected to be hired machinery with a charm-made local bulletproof on Wednesday.
The suspect who has since been handed over to the law enforcement agency claimed he came to the campus to celebrate with his sister after completing her examination.
