Customs Intercepts 31 Rifles, Ammunitions at Lagos Ports, Owode, Arrests Two

Spread the love

By Francis Ugwoke

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a total of 31 rifles and other ammunitions at the Lagos ports and Owode, Ogun State.
Acting Comptroller-General of the Customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi said some of the arms and ammunitions were discovered at Ports & Terminal Multi-Services Ltd (PTML) and Tin-Can Island Ports during goods examination.
Adeniyi told newsmen at the Federal Operations Unit of the Customs, Ikeja, that the items were discovered during a joint goods examination carried out by the Customs and other security agencies, including the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement and Administration (NDLEA).
The said the customs agent and the man waiting to take delivery of the container have been arrested.
He 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 (PTML) Command, 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 3 new Pump Action rifles and one new unit of an armed rifle; six new different makes of pistols; One new millennium G2 pistol; One new Sarsilmaz SAR-9X pistol; One new Lugger Security-9 pistol; One new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol; One new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, One new Taurus (63 pistol); 14 empty magazines; and 442 rounds of live ammunition.
“The clearing agent, Mr Shokunbi Olanrewaju of Shooler Global International Ltd, and Mr Joseph Nwadiodor, who was expected to take delivery of the container, are currently detained as suspects in connection with the seizure.
“Similarly, within the same period, the Tin-Can Island Port Command of the Service, while acting on credible intelligence, subjected a 1by40ft container to 100 per cent physical examination with the relevant security agencies at the ports. The physical examination uncovered 18 arms, packets of cartridges and rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums”.
The Acting Customs CG also disclosed that the Service on July 12 intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal which were used to conceal three pump action rifles with 174 live cartridges.
“The driver of the vehicles who knew the content he was conveying vis-à-vis the attendant consequences of his action before the law jumped into the bush and escaped arrest.
In summary, a total of 31 rifles were intercepted within the first two weeks of July 2023”.
He disclosed that investigation into the seizures was inconclusive, but assured that the outcome of the investigation and the seizures will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation.
He expressed concern that illicit arms obtained by non-state actors have boosted the proliferation of small arms and ammunition across the country, adding that this accounts for the rise in violent kidnappings, robberies and mass killings in the country.