A police inspector attached to the Kogi State Government House security detail in Lokoja has lost an assault rifle and 30 rounds of live ammunition after suspected thieves stole his vehicle and made away with the weapon in a brazen overnight incident.
The affected officer, identified as Inspector Mohammed Abdullahi, was said to have parked his Toyota Camry with registration number ZKW 650AA (Kaduna State) at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists secretariat in Lokoja on the evening of June 13, 2026.
Security sources said the inspector reportedly left a police rifle with breech number FA 4082, along with 30 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition inside the vehicle before stepping away.
He was later said to have returned to the location, only to discover that the vehicle had been stolen.
According to an internal police wireless message circulated to commands nationwide, the incident triggered an immediate security response, with divisions, patrol teams, the Control Room and the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) in Lokoja alerted and mobilised for a citywide search.
The vehicle was later recovered abandoned opposite the Federal University Lokoja in the Felele axis of the state capital. However, the assault rifle and ammunition had already been removed by the suspects before the car was found.
Police authorities have since launched a nationwide manhunt for the missing firearm, directing all commands, tactical teams and patrol units to intensify surveillance and intelligence operations aimed at recovering the weapon and apprehending those behind the theft.
The wireless signal further urged operatives across the country to remain on alert and immediately report any sighting of the stolen rifle to the Kogi State Police Command.
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