On Monday, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reported the interception of a 40-foot container carrying guns at Ports and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) and Tin-Can Island Port, destined for the South-East region of Nigeria. The discovery was made during a joint inspection exercise involving Customs, Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security (DSS), and the National Drug Law Enforcement and Administration (NDLEA).
Addressing the press in Lagos, the acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, credited the dedication of customs officers for the discovery. The examination of the container on July 5, 2023, revealed the concealment of ten dangerous arms and various live ammunition inside plastic drums. The clearing agent and the individual scheduled to receive the container were detained as suspects in connection with the seizure.
Additionally, at the Tin-Can Island Port Command, acting on credible intelligence, a 40-foot container was subjected to a 100% physical examination, leading to the discovery of 18 arms, packets of cartridges, and live ammunition inside plastic drums. The details of the seized arms include two Sar9 Sarsilmaz Pistols, one Ruger American Pistol, and three Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols.
Furthermore, during a routine patrol in Ogun State by officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal was intercepted. The vehicle was found to conceal three pump-action rifles along with 174 live cartridges.
The investigations into these seizures are still ongoing, and the Customs Service will hand over the outcomes, along with the seized items, to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution.
