Police recover pistol concealed in loaf of bread, arrest suspect in Rivers

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The Rivers State Police Command said its operatives recovered an unauthorised firearm concealed inside a loaf of bread along the Azikiwe Road axis of Port Harcourt and arrested a suspect.

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The police said the recovery was made during a routine stop-and-search operation after a vehicle was thoroughly searched and the firearm was found in the possession of the suspect, identified as Braya Nanas.

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The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, ASP Blessing Agabe, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Friday evening.

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Agabe said preliminary investigations revealed that the firearm, a Browning pistol, had no visible serial number. She added that the suspect admitted purchasing the weapon in Okrika, near Port Harcourt, for N800,000.

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The statement read, “In line with the directives of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Olugbenga Adepoju, operatives of the command, during a routine check operation along Azikiwe Road by Red Cross Junction, Port Harcourt, intercepted a vehicle and conducted a thorough search of its occupants. A Browning pistol, ingeniously concealed inside a loaf of bread, was recovered from one Braya Nanas (male), a resident of New Road, Borikiri, Port Harcourt, who was travelling as a passenger in the vehicle.

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“Preliminary investigation revealed that the firearm had no visible serial number, raising concerns about its origin and intended use.

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“The suspect allegedly admitted ownership of the weapon and further stated that he purchased it in Okrika for the sum of Eight Hundred Thousand Naira.”

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According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, urged residents to remain vigilant and security-conscious at all times.

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CP Adepoju said the discovery of a firearm hidden inside a loaf of bread demonstrated the increasingly deceptive methods employed by criminal elements to evade detection.

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He advised members of the public to be wary of suspicious persons, packages and activities within their communities and to promptly report any security concerns to the nearest police station.

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The police commissioner also cautioned residents against accepting, conveying or storing items whose contents are unknown, saying such actions could inadvertently aid criminal activities.

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“The Command calls on residents to continue supporting law enforcement agencies through timely and credible intelligence sharing, emphasizing that effective policing thrives on strong community partnership,” the statement added.

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