The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a large cache of arms and ammunition valued at N270 million at Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos. This announcement was made by Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Bashir Adeniyi through a statement released by Customs spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada on Wednesday.
The intercepted consignment, which was imported from Turkey, was discovered in the cargo section of the MMA. The operation also led to the arrest of one suspect.
The Customs boss revealed that the consignment included military hardware and accoutrements. He referenced a recent operation where Customs seized 11 rifles and six pistols among other items. Similarly, a press briefing in Port Harcourt showcased the seizure of 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of ammunition.
Adeniyi stated, “On June 19, we deployed our personnel to man all the exit points effectively and mandated all examination officers to conduct 100 per cent examination of all consignments. During this examination, an item suspected to be part of a rifle was discovered in a consignment with airway bill number 235-58737755, originating from Turkey.”
The consignment was isolated for a thorough examination, which revealed that four packages concealed 55 pieces of unassembled Jojef Magnum (Tomahawk) semi-automatic shotguns. The shotguns were hidden inside shower faucets. The duty-paid value of these arms is N270.8 million, and a suspect connected to this importation is currently in custody, assisting with the ongoing investigation to uncover the perpetrators of this crime.
Adeniyi indicated that unscrupulous Nigerians based in Turkey were behind these illicit arms purchases and shipments to Nigeria. “Intelligence further revealed that they are exploring new frontiers to perpetrate their nefarious activities. Still, I can assure Nigerians that all our commands are on red alert to intercept any such illicit arms importation,” he added.
Additionally, the command seized other military and paramilitary hardware worth N1.29 billion, including drones, ballistic vests, helmets, and walkie-talkies. The total duty-paid value of all seized items is N1.56 billion.
Relying on the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the following actions have been taken:
- The 55 pieces of unassembled JOJEF Magnum semi-automatic shotguns and the concealing items are seized.
- The items will be handed over to the coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons under the office of the National Security Adviser for further investigation and prosecution.
- The arrested suspect will also be handed over to the center for further processing.
The Customs boss emphasized the NCS's commitment to working diligently with other government agencies to apprehend all parties involved in this illicit importation.
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