The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has confirmed the seizure of 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition illegally imported into the country.
Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general (CG) of customs, made the announcement on Monday at a press conference held at the Port Harcourt command in Onne, Rivers state.
The CG’s briefing authenticated a video of the seizure that circulated last week.
“This particular 1X40 foot container, MAEU165396, originated from Turkey and, due to several risk factors, was flagged for further inspection,” Adeniyi stated.
“We monitored its journey across continents, leveraging credible intelligence from both local and international sources.
“Within our local operations, we closely tracked the importer’s attempt to bypass our procedures via a private bond terminal.
“Consequently, on Friday, June 21, 2024, the container underwent a thorough physical inspection. The inspection revealed the following alarming contents.”
He detailed the seized items: 844 rifles, 112,500 rounds of live ammunition, 764 Tomahawk and Jojef Magnum black pump-action rifles, 10 Verney Caron Jojef Magnum silver pump-action rifles, 50 Verney Caron double-barrel rifles, 20 Verney Caron single-barrel rifles, exclusive series, sterling high-quality live ammunition, and 34g-25 plastic shotgun shells (70mm).
The customs CG stated the rifles and ammunition were hidden in items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags, noting that the container’s duty-paid value is N4,171,710,000.
Adeniyi reported that three suspects were arrested and detained in connection with the ammunition after customs secured a detention warrant from a competent court.
He also mentioned that operatives, through intelligence and collaboration, intercepted an 8×40-foot container in transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne port on June 29.
The comptroller-general said items in the container included 1,050,000 bottles of codeine cough syrup (100 ml) and 3,500,000 trodol benzhexol tablets (5 ml), valued at N9,600,000,000.
Adeniyi added that officers also seized two containers loaded with 720 bales of used clothes, valued at N144,000,000.
