The Nigeria Customs Service, on Monday, stated that it had intercepted 31 rifles and ammunition arriving in Nigeria from the United States during the first two weeks of July.
Addressing journalists at the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A Ikeja, Lagos, the acting Controller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, reported that the contraband was seized at the Ports and Terminal Multipurpose Limited, Tincan Island Ports, and in Ogun State.
Adeniyi disclosed that a 40ft container, concealing 10 arms and various rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums, was intercepted. The interception took place during a joint operation with other security agencies.
The Customs boss stated, “On 5th July 2023, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the Customs Intelligence Unit at the PTML Command, we conducted a thorough physical examination of a 40ft container.”
He further revealed, “The examination uncovered the concealment of 10 arms and various rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums. The seized items include three new Pump Action rifles, 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, and one new Taurus (63 pistols). Additionally, we found 14 empty magazines and 442 rounds of live ammunition.”
According to Adeniyi, two suspects were apprehended in connection with the seizure. He identified them as Shokunbi Olanrewaju, the clearing agent from Shooler Global International Limited, and Joseph Nwadiodor, the individual responsible for taking delivery of the container.
Adeniyi added that during the same period, another 40ft container was intercepted at Tincan, uncovering 18 arms, packets of cartridges, and rounds of live ammunition concealed within plastic drums. The seized items include six different makes of pistols, two Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols, one Ruger American Pistol, three Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols, 12 different makes of rifles, five Rz17hd rifles, one Gamo rifle, five pump-action rifles, and one Rz17 tactical rifle. The interception also yielded 10 packets of cartridges, two packets of 9mm ammunition, 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition, one carton of frontier cartridges, and two packets of Buckshot ammunition.
Additionally, Adeniyi revealed that while officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team were on a routine patrol along the Owode/Ajilete area of Ogun State, they intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal. The vehicle concealed three pump-action rifles with 174 live cartridges. However, the driver managed to escape arrest by fleeing into the bush.
He emphasised, “The proliferation of illicit arms acquired by non-state actors has contributed to the increase in violent kidnappings, robberies, and mass killings in society. In summary, a total of 31 rifles were intercepted within the first two weeks of July 2023.”
Footage: Nigeria Customs Intercepts Rifles and Ammunition.