A 40-foot container load of guns and headed for the south-east has been intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Lagos.
The container was intercepted at Ports & Terminal Multi-Services Ltd (PTML) and Tin-Can Island Ports.
According to the acting comptroller-general of Customs, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, the container was heading for the eouth-east region of the country.
Adeniyi noted that the discovery were made during a joint inspection exercise between Customs, Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security (DSS), and the National Drug Law Enforcement and Administration (NDLEA), Politics Nigeria reports.
“Since assuming the role of Acting Comptroller General, our dedicated officers and men have demonstrated unwavering commitment to their responsibilities. Their diligence and perseverance have been the cornerstone of our operations,” Adeniyi said.
“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 said.
Going further, he revealed that the declaration of a state of emergency in revenue generation and national security has further aligned NCS activities with the government’s overarching goals.
“Pursuant to this commitment, I stand before you today to highlight the recent achievements of the NCS in our ongoing efforts to suppress smuggling and safeguard national security. Some of our dedicated and diligent officers uncovered some smuggled arms and ammunition while on duty at various Commands and formations.
“On July 5, 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: three 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 magazinesd; 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,” he explained.
