The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Port Harcourt Area II, Onne, Rivers State, has seized a 40-foot container filled with arms and ammunition valued at N4,171,710,000.00 in duty-paid value.
The breakdown is as follows: 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles, 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles, 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles, 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles, Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g – 25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM)
At a press briefing, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, highlighted the significant seizure as part of the NCS’s ongoing efforts to secure national borders and ensure public safety. He recalled a similar recent briefing at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, where he exposed attempts by criminals to exploit Customs’ procedures.
Adeniyi stated, “With our robust Risk Management System, we have consistently stayed ahead of such criminal activities. Our automated audit systems enable us to trace and recover revenue. When it comes to national security threats, our alert level matches the severity of the risk.”
The intercepted container, originating from Turkey, was monitored based on risk factors and credible intelligence. It was subjected to a thorough examination on June 21, 2024, revealing 844 rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition, including various types of pump-action and double-barrel rifles. These weapons were concealed among items like doors, furniture, and plumbing fittings.
Three suspects have been detained, and a thorough investigation is underway to ensure all involved face justice. Additionally, on June 29, 2024, the NCS intercepted another eight 40-foot containers en route to a bonded warehouse, containing 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine, 3,500,000 Trodol Benzhexol tablets, and 720 bales of used clothes. The total duty-paid value of these seizures amounts to N13,915,710,000.00.
Under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the seized arms and ammunition will be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for investigation and prosecution. The NCS agent’s license involved in these operations has been suspended, and personnel found complicit will face prosecution.
National Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, DIG Johnson Kokomo (retd), commended the Customs’ efforts, emphasizing the importance of inter-agency collaboration in tackling illicit arms proliferation. He highlighted this operation as a milestone in national security and a testament to the collective commitment to Nigeria’s safety.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Major General A.G. Lala, also praised the Customs’ achievements, underscoring the Federal Government’s dedication to eliminating illicit weapons and enhancing national security. Ribadu stressed the critical need for synergy among security agencies to combat interconnected issues like drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, and human trafficking