Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted assorted guns including pump-action rifles, various kinds of pistols and ammunition, even as a shipper and freight agent have been arrested in connection with the seizure.
The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, revealed this during a press briefing today at Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos.
Consequently, the clearing agent, Mr Shokunbi Olanrewaju of Shooler Global International Ltd and Mr. Joseph Nwadiodor, the shipper who was expected to take delivery of the container, are currently detained as suspects in connection with the seizure.
Giving details of the operation, Adeniyi said; “On the 5th of July 2023, during 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, a thorough physical examination of a 40ft container was conducted.”
“Upon examination, dangerous arms and various rounds of live ammunition concealed inside plastic drums. The exact details are: 3 new Pump Action rifles and one new unit of an armed rifles; 6 new different makes of pistols; 1 new millennium G2 pistol; 1 new sarsilmaz SAR-9X pistol; 1 new Lugger Security-9 pistol; 1 new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol; 1 new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, and 1 new Taurus (63 pistol); 14 empty magazines and 442 rounds of live ammunition”
He also disclosed that within the same period, the Tin Can Island Port Command of the Service, while acting on credible intelligence, subjected a 40ft container to 100% physical examination with the relevant security agencies at the ports and uncovered 18 arms, packets of cartridges and rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums.
Adeniyi itemized the Tin Can arms seizures to include; 2 Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols; 1 Ruger American Pistol and 3 Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols. 12 different makes of riffles including 5 Rz17hd Rifles; 1 Gamo Rifle; 5 Pump Action Rifles; and 1 Rz17 Tactical Rifle; 10 packets of cartridges; 2 packets of 9mm ammunition; 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition; 1 carton of Frontier cartridges; and 2 packets of Buckshot ammunition.
In a another development, during a routine patrol along Owode/Ajilete Axis of Ogun State by officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, on Wednesday last week intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal, which was used to conceal 3 pump action riffles with 174 live cartridges.
Customs, however, were unable to apprehend the driver of the vehicle who jumped into the bush to escape arrest.
While expressing delight at the robust activities of Customs personnel under his maiden weeks as Customs helmsman, Adeniyi
commended Customs officers’ diligence and perseverance typified by the recent operations.
“Our actions within the NCS have been driven by a deep sense of purpose and guided by the mantra of renewed hope, which underpins the current administration’s vision. We recognize the significance of our role in contributing to the overall objectives of the President Tinubu led Administration, as articulated in the Road Map of the Policy Advisory Council document,” he added.