The Tatale Police on September 30, intercepted and retrieved an M16 rifle from two herdsmen.
The gun, which was carried without authority, was hidden in a sack and carried on an unregistered motorbike they travelled on.
In a police alert, it said the two fled and abandoned both the bike and rifle on sensing that their lives were in danger.
“On September 30, 2023, at about 1900 hours, General Constable Wakan Kwaku Williams of Tatale Police Station, brought in unregistered Haujoe Metro motorbike 125-8 together with a sack containing M16 rifle No. GHGHFUS220762-422 with an empty magazine and reported that same day at about 1800 hours.
He was on a motorbike with a Community Protection Assistant, Jeremiah Njakune Mapibe from Bidrimbombe, a suburb of Tatale, heading towards Tatale township, the alert said.
Police said, “Upon reaching a section of the road near the District Electoral Commission office junction, they met two unknown Fulani men on the aforementioned motorbike holding a sack heading towards Zabzugu direction.”
It said their movement looked suspicious; hence, they were given a hot chase to a distance of about 250 meters.
The Fulani suspects, however, sensed danger and abandoned their motorbike as well as the said sack and fled into a nearby bush.
“A search conducted on the sack revealed the above mentioned M16 rifle with an empty magazine.”
Meanwhile, the Police said the motorbike has been impounded and the sack containing the rifle and the empty magazine retained at the station for evidential purposes.