Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In a significant law enforcement operation on the night of March 15, 2026, the Nigeria Police Force in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, executed a carefully orchestrated raid that led to the arrest of a university graduate suspected of operating a clandestine illegal arms fabrication workshop alongside a drug production centre in the capital city. The breakthrough was confirmed in an official statement issued by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command on March 16, 2026.
The suspect, Koabasi Marsodi, a graduate of Animal Science from the University of Uyo, was taken into custody at approximately 9:00 p.m. during the operation executed by police operatives acting on credible intelligence pointing to criminal activity at a property on Idem Street, off Itu Road in Uyo. The intelligence had initially indicated that illicit narcotic‑laced food products — specifically chin‑chin snacks reportedly infused with Indian hemp (cannabis) — were being manufactured and distributed from the location.
However, upon breaching the premises, officers uncovered evidence that the site was being used for far more than drug production. Instead, it also doubled as a covert arms and ammunition fabrication workshop. According to the police, Marsodi confessed during interrogation not only to producing narcotic‑laced snacks but also to engaging in the fabrication, modification, and concealment of firearms. He reportedly admitted to modifying long guns into smaller, concealable weapons, a common technique used by criminal elements to evade detection and deploy illegal firearms in street crime.
A thorough search of the premises yielded a large cache of incriminating materials, supporting the authorities’ assertion that the site functioned as both an arms and drug manufacturing hub. Among the exhibits seized were eight refilled cartridges and six expended cartridges, a bag of gunpowder, refilling pellets, and a pack of striking pins, a rifle butt head suggesting active modification of firearms, a range of metalworking tools including drilling, filing, and cutting machines, assorted saws and cutting stones, substances suspected to be Indian hemp, packets of chin‑chin products suspected to have been laced with narcotics, and two pairs of black military boots, belts, and a jacket, items that raised questions about intended use by the suspects or distribution to criminal collaborators.
Police have also indicated that additional suspected members of a broader criminal network referenced by Marsodi during interrogation are being actively pursued. Investigators believe the operation could be connected to wider patterns of illegal arms circulation and narcotics distribution within Uyo and possibly beyond.
In the statement released to newsmen, DSP Timfon John, the Public Relations Officer for the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, highlighted the dual nature of the illegal operations at the raided site. According to the spokesperson, the site was initially believed to be only involved in the narcotics trade but was later revealed to be a fully functioning arms fabrication ground used for producing illegal and modified weapons.
Chief among the concerns for law enforcement was the discovery that modified firearms and ammunition could be distributed to criminal gangs, armed robbers, cult groups, and other violent networks operating not just in Uyo but across several communities within the state. Police officials have stressed that these weapons — although adapted and locally made — can still cause grave harm and are often linked to a range of violent crimes.
The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Baba Mohammed Azare, was quoted affirming the command’s commitment to combating all forms of criminality, especially those involving weapons and drugs. He warned that any individual or group found hindering public safety through the manufacture and distribution of illegal arms or narcotics would be met with the full force of the law, emphasising that intelligence‑driven operations would continue in all identified hotspots within the state.
Law enforcement officials and security experts have repeatedly highlighted the danger posed by illegal arms production and the proliferation of modified firearms across Nigeria. Although data on the scope of the illegal arms trade is limited, previous police operations in the South‑South region, including Akwa Ibom, have uncovered similar illicit fabrication workshops. These prior efforts illustrate that clandestine weapons production remains a persistent security challenge for Nigerian authorities.
The dual nature of the Uyo facility — combining drug production and arms fabrication — underscores the multifaceted nature of organised criminal networks and the complexity of dismantling them. Akkwa Ibom communities grappling with increased crime, cult violence, and narcotics circulation have urged residents to be vigilant and support intelligence‑led policing efforts, while police continue to rely heavily on community tips to uncover hidden criminal activity.
Police have assured that Marsodi will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law once investigations conclude, and that further arrests are likely as the probe expands. The public is being encouraged to provide credible information that can lead to the arrest of additional suspects involved in the illegal network.
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