Customs Intercepts Dangerous Arms, Ammunition
Customs Intercepts Dangerous Arms, Ammunition
* Makes 2 arrests,as Agt.CGC hails operation
By Okezie Nnadi
The Nigerian Customs Service ((NCS) has intercepted dangerous arms and various rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums,even as it arrested two suspects in connection with the seizures.
Briefing the media at Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said the interception took place on the 5th of July 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 Command, a thorough physical examination of a 40ft container was conducted.
The intercepted arms and ammunition consist
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. Others were
one new Lugger Security-9 pistol.
onne new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol,
one new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, and one new Taurus (63 pistol).
Also intercepted include 14 empty magazines,
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 Tincan Island Port Command of the Service, while acting on credible intelligence; a 1x40ft container was also subjected 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
Two Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols
One Ruger American Pistol And
Three Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols.
12 different makes of riffles
Five Rz17hd Rifles,
One Gamo Rifle,
Five Pump Action Rifles And One Rz17 Tactical Rifle)
c. 10 packets of cartridges
d. 2 packets of 9mm ammunition
e. 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition
f. 1 carton of Frontier cartridges
g. 2 packets of Buckshot ammunition
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 CGC said “In summary, a total of thirty-one rifles were intercepted within the first two weeks of July 2023.
Investigation into the seizures is inconclusive. 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”, he said.
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