The Ondo Police Command has arrested a welder, Andy Giwa, for allegedly fabricating and selling arms to robbers and cultists in Uso, Owo Local Government Area of the state.
Giwa was reportedly found at his workshop with the firearm following information received by the police that the suspect was fabricating a pistol for sale in the council.
It was gathered on Sunday that the gun was recovered from the suspect after his arrest on Friday at a workshop on Imogun Street, Uso.
During preliminary interrogation, Giwa reportedly told the police that the recovered pistol did not belong to him, claiming that another man brought it to his workshop and had since disappeared.
The police said the alleged owner of the weapon was yet to be identified, adding that efforts were underway to locate and apprehend him.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh in a statement on Sunday, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu, had ordered that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for a thorough investigation.
Jimoh said the investigation would establish the circumstances surrounding the firearm, including its source, intended purpose and whether other persons were connected to its possession or manufacture.
The command commended the resident who provided the information that led to the recovery, noting that the intervention enabled the police to act before the firearm could potentially be used to commit a crime.
The police urged residents to report suspicious activities and illegal possession of firearms to the nearest police formation, assuring informants of confidentiality.
The command also reaffirmed its resolve to tackle the circulation of illegal firearms through intelligence-led operations across the state.