By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the seizure of 31 arms of various types from two Tin-Can and Port and Multi-Purpose Terminals (PTML) ports in Lagos.
This was disclosed by the newly appointed Comptroller-General of the Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, who stated that two suspects were arrested and were currently in the custody of the agency.
According to him, the seizure happened on Monday.
He said earlier this month (July 5), during a joint operation with the Police, the Department of State Security (DSS), the National Drug Law Enforcement and Administration (NDLEA), and the Customs Intelligence Unit at the Ports Terminal and Multi Services Limited Command, a thorough physical examination of a 40ft container, the team uncovered 10 dangerous arms and various rounds of live ammunition concealed inside plastic drums.
Giving a breakdown of the seizures, Mr Adeniyi said 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, three new Lugger Security-9 pistol, one new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol, and one new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, and one new Taurus (63 pistol) 14 empty magazines, 442 rounds of live ammunition were discovered.
He said: “Our dedicated officers and men have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their responsibilities. “Their diligence and perseverance have been the cornerstone of our 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 President Tinubu-led administration, as articulated in the Road Map of the Policy Advisory Council document.
“The declaration of a state of emergency in revenue generation and national security has further aligned our 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.”
The customs boss also disclosed that two clearing agent, Mr Shokunbi Olanrewaju of Shooler Global International Ltd and Mr Joseph Nwadiodor, who was expected to take delivery of the container, were currently detained as suspects in connection with the seizure.
Besides the arms seizure at PTML Customs command, within the same period, the Tin-can Island Port Command of the Service, while acting on credible intelligence, subjected a 1x40ft container to 100% 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 details are:
a. 6 different makes of pistols (1) Two (2) Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols (2) One (1) Ruger American Pistol And (3) Three (3) Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols).
b. 12 different makes of riffles (1) Five (5) Rz17hd Rifles, (2) One (1) Gamo Rifle, (3) Five (5) Pump Action Rifles and (4) One (1) Rz17 Tactical Rifle)
c. 10 packets of cartridges, two packets of 9mm ammunition, 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition. 1 carton of Frontier cartridges, packets of Buckshot ammunition.
According to Mr Adeniyi, “again, during a routine patrol along Owode/Ajilete Axis of Ogun State by officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, on Wednesday 12 July 2023, intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal, which was used to conceal three pump action riffles with 174 live cartridges.
The driver of the vehicle, who knew the content he was conveying vis-a-vis the attendant consequences of his action before the law; jumped into the bush and escaped arrest.
“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. In doing this, we are assuring all compliant traders and importers that they have nothing to fear.
“We have re-injected new tactics to tackle the economic and security menace caused by recalcitrant importers and their agents. The Service’s human resources and logistics are collectively harnessed to combat and prevent economic sabotage.
“I implore importers and agents to be patriotic by making sincere declarations and to be properly guided by the import/export prohibition lists. I also urged the public to see security as a collective responsibility. We will appreciate information of illegal importation and cross-border movement of dangerous weapons used to create mayhem in our nation.”