Ondo welder arrested with locally made pistol, police investigate

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a welder in Uso, Owo Local Government Area, after allegedly finding a locally fabricated pistol at his workshop.

The suspect, identified as Andy Giwa, was arrested by operatives of the Uso Police Division following intelligence received on September 11, 2026, that he was working on a pistol at his workshop on Imogun Street.

Acting on the information, the police said its operatives moved to the workshop, where they recovered the firearm and took Giwa into custody for questioning.

During interrogation, the suspect reportedly told investigators that the pistol belonged to another man whose identity he could not establish, claiming that the individual had since gone into hiding.

Consequently, the police have commenced further investigation to identify and arrest the alleged owner of the weapon and establish how it came into Giwa’s possession.

Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said in a statement on Sunday that the Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, had ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a discreet and comprehensive investigation.

Jimoh said investigators would determine the source and intended use of the firearm and establish whether other persons were involved in its manufacture, possession or planned use.

The command also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious persons, movements and activities, particularly the unlawful possession of firearms, assuring informants that their identities would be protected.