Less than 48 hours after announcing the interception of a container laden with arms and ammunition imported from Turkey at Onne Port in Rivers State, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, revealed another significant seizure of arms and ammunition at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, valued at N270 million.
The consignment, intercepted at the cargo section of MMA, also originated from Turkey, with one suspect currently in custody. The Customs Boss reported that military hardware and accoutrements were also seized by the airport command.
“You may recall that the Nigeria Customs TCIP Command recently impounded 11 rifles and 6 pistols, among other items. Similarly, just two days ago, a press briefing was held in Port Harcourt, where we showcased the seizure of 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of ammunition. In a related development, we are here again to inform the public that the Murtala Muhammed Area Command, acting on credible intelligence from our local and international collaborators, on 19 June 2024, deployed its personnel to effectively man all exit points and mandated all examination officers to conduct 100% examination of all consignments,” Adeniyi said.
During the examination, an item suspected to be part of a rifle was discovered in a console consignment with airway bill number 235-58737755 from Turkey. The entire consignment was isolated for thorough examination, which revealed 55 pieces of unassembled Jojef Magnum (Tomahawk) semi-automatic shotguns concealed using shower faucets. The Duty Paid Value of these illicit arms is N270.8 million, and a suspect is in custody, assisting with the ongoing investigation to uncover the perpetrators of this crime.
“Analysis of this and similar recent seizures indicates that some unscrupulous Nigerians based in Turkey are purchasing, packaging, and exporting these illicit arms to Nigeria. Intelligence further revealed that they are exploring new frontiers to perpetrate their nefarious activities. Still, I can assure Nigerians that all our Commands are on red alert to intercept any such illicit arms importation,” Adeniyi added.
In addition to the arms, other military and paramilitary hardware worth N1.29 billion were seized, including drones, ballistic vests, helmets, and walkie-talkies.
“On display are some Military and Paramilitary accoutrements improperly imported without end users’ certificates with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.29 billion. The breakdown of these items is as follows: 148 pieces of drones; 172 pieces of ballistic vests; 15 pieces of ballistic vests; one piece of ballistic helmet; 8 pieces of walkie talkies; 9,172 pieces of military and paramilitary badges. Others include 20 pieces of camouflage uniforms; 100 pieces of camouflage vests; 172 pieces of camouflage caps; and 120 pieces of binoculars. The total Duty Paid Value of all the displayed items is N1.56 billion.”
Relying on the relevant provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, Adeniyi outlined the actions taken on the seized items. The 55 pieces of unassembled JOJEF MAGNUM SEMI AUTOMATIC SHOTGUNS, along with the concealing items, are seized and will be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for investigation and prosecution. The suspect arrested will be handed over for further processing, and efforts will be made to apprehend all parties involved in this illicit importation.
“Lastly, this seizure sends an unequivocal warning to anyone considering similar illicit importation. The Service is relentless in its pursuit of securing our national frontiers and fostering national security. Under my leadership, the Service will not condone any act that threatens this nation’s national security and economic prosperity,” Adeniyi concluded.
