Mr. Emmanuel Euba, a man who claimed to be a graduate of the University of Calabar, was on Saturday arrested with four locally-made pistols by men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.Euba, 32, a native of Ogun State, was said to be travelling from Calabar, Cross River State to Bayelsa State when the NDLEA officials decided to conduct a search on a 14-seater bus conveying him and other passengers at Nkim Itam, on the Calabar-Itu Road.PUNCH METROlearnt that all the passengers were ordered out of the bus and when their bags were searched, the officials found the guns in Eubas bag.The suspect said, I was on my way to Bayelsa for the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primaries. I boarded a bus from Calabar, and on my way to Port Harcourt along Nkim Itam in Akwa Ibom State, we were stopped by NDLEA officials for a search.We were 15 passengers in all, including the driver. When the guns were found in the bag, I claimed ownership of it. I was immediately arrested and led to the NDLEA office on Nwaniba Road, Uyo, along with other passengers.Euba said he was not a criminal but was going to Bayelsa State to provide security back-up for one of the aspirants.He claimed that in the previous elections in Bayelsa State, their supposed foes, intimidated, cheated, and killed one of his cousins.He said, At the last election in Bayelsa State, we were so intimidated that our lives were at stake. I was going back to Bayelsa State for the first time since the last election. I was contacted by my cousin who hails from there to work for somebody who is contesting in the election.The man does not know about the pistols; he will not allow it. So, in order not to be intimidated again, I got these pistols from Calabar for self-protection.I got the pistols from an old man known as doctor, who hails from Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State at the rate of N2,500 each. I know him; he is an old friend, he works in Kwara State.However, he refused to give the name of his cousin who contracted him.When asked if he had the telephone number of the doctor, Euba said, I dont have his telephone number. He told me that he had no telephone, but he has my number. He calls me with different numbers. I bought the pistols from him in June.I neither steal nor do bad things with them (pistols). I just wanted to protect myself and those I love. I could not get the bullets for them, so I had to take them along empty.The Akwa Ibom State Commander of the NDLEA, Mrs. Josephine Obi, said the countrys security would be jeopardised if urgent measures were not taken to apprehend fabricators of local firearms.If someone could get a pistol for N2,500 besides the foreign-made pistols which are smuggled into the country, it means bullets could be sold for N20. We believe when we hand him over to the police on Monday (today), they will get to the root of the matter, she said.She advised other youths not to take law into their hands and advised the aggrieved ones to seek redress through legal means.
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