Within two weeks in July 2023, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) seized 31 rifles that were shipped into the country from the United States.
Adewale Adeniyi, Acting Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), who disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos on Monday at the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, attributed the achievement to ongoing efforts by NCS to suppress smuggling and safeguard national security.
He said that some smuggled arms and ammunition were uncovered by dedicated and diligent officers of the organization while on duty at various Commands and formations.
Adeniyi explained that the suspects, a clearing agent, Mr. Shokunbi Olanrewaju of Shooler Global International Ltd, and one Mr. Joseph Nwadiodor, expected to take delivery of the container have been arrested in connection with the seized items.
“On July 5, a joint operation with the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security, the National Drug Law Enforcement and Administration, and the Customs Intelligence Unit at the Ports Terminal and Multi Services Limited Command was conducted.
“A thorough physical examination of a 40ft container was conducted. The examination revealed the concealment of 10 dangerous arms and various rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums.
“The details are three new Pump Action rifles and one new unit of an armed rifle, six new different makes of pistols, one new millennium G2 pistol, and one new Sarsilmaz SAR-9X pistol.
“Others are one new Lugger Security-9 pistol, one new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol, one new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, and one new Taurus (63 pistols), 14 empty magazines, and 442 rounds of live ammunition,” he said.
The Acting CGC also disclosed that during a routine patrol along Owode/Ajilete Axis of Ogun State, officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, on July 12, seized three pump action rifles with 174 live cartridges concealed in six sacks of charcoal from an unregistered Toyota Camry.
Adeniyi said that the driver of the vehicle jumped into the bush and escaped arrest.
“Investigation into the seizures is inconclusive. The outcome of our investigations together with the seizures will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution.
“Illicit arms obtained by non-state actors have boosted the proliferation of small arms and ammunition across the country. This accounts for the increase in violent kidnappings, robberies, and mass killings in society.
“Let me state at this point that the service has re-strategized its operations, while our officers have raised their levels of professionalism, and have keyed into the mantra of renewed hope aimed at facilitating legitimate trade,” Adeniyi said.
Acting CGC also said within the same period, during physical examination, the Tincan Island Port Command of the Service intercepted a 1x40ft container with 18 arms, packets of cartridges, and rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums.
“Six different makes of pistols, two Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols, one Ruger American Pistol, and three Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols.
“Others are 12 different makes of riffles, five Rz17hd Rifles, one Gamo Rifle, five Pump Action Rifles, and one (1) Rz17 Tactical Rifle.
“Also included are 10 packets of cartridges, two packets of 9mm ammunition, 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition, one carton of Frontier cartridges, and two packets of Buckshot ammunition,” Adeniyi said.
He implored importers and agents to be patriotic by making sincere declarations and to be properly guided by the import and export prohibition lists.
