The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over 399 fully assembled JGF pump-action rifles and 535 assorted firearm components intercepted at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during the formal handover of the seized firearms to the Centre, stressing that the seizure prevented the weapons from reaching their intended destination and potentially falling into the hands of criminal elements.
According to him, the consignment, which arrived at Tin Can Island Port on July 8 aboard MV Velika, was intercepted after being flagged by the Customs risk management system.
He explained that the firearms had been dismantled and concealed in knockdown form, describing the method as a deliberate attempt to make the weapons less recognisable during cargo examination.
The CGC said the subsequent examination and coupling of the components had been completed, revealing 399 fully assembled rifles and 535 assorted components. Among the components recovered were 89 frames, 80 charging handles, 579 trigger groups and 25 locking lugs.
Adeniyi said the interception was particularly significant given Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and violent crime. He noted that the seizure also came as the country approaches another electioneering season, stressing that hundreds of firearms entering the wrong hands could pose a serious threat to public safety and the democratic process.
The Customs boss said the consignment had failed to reach its intended destination, while efforts were ongoing to establish those behind its importation and intended collection. Adeniyi attributed the interception to the deployment of technology and automated risk management under the administration’s trade modernisation programme.
According to him, Customs cannot physically open every container entering the country, making technology driven risk profiling critical to identifying suspicious consignments. He explained that the risk management system enables the Service to determine which containers require physical examination, adding that the interception demonstrated the effectiveness of the system.
Adeniyi further disclosed that two suspects, identified as Robert Eze and Ejeogu Godson, had been arrested in connection with the consignment. He said one of the suspects was arrested on July 31 at the terminal while attempting to procure the release of the container.
The two suspects, he added, had been remanded by the Federal High Court in Lagos, with their arraignment scheduled for August 25. With the completion of the examination and the arrest of the suspects, the CGC said the firearms had now been formally transferred to the national authority responsible for small arms and light weapons.
He described the development as more than a seizure, noting that the interception, investigation, arrest of suspects, prosecution and handover of the firearms represented a complete enforcement chain.
The CGC also warned that the NCS would not allow Nigeria’s ports and borders to become channels for the movement of arms or other items capable of threatening national security. He pledged that the Service would continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, risk management and collaboration with sister security agencies to identify and disrupt attempts to smuggle firearms into the country.
He commended officers of the Tin Can Island Port Command for their vigilance and professionalism, noting that the firearms had been carefully concealed but were nevertheless detected through the Customs risk management system.
The CGC urged the media to allow the investigation and court process to run their course, particularly on questions concerning the intended destination of the firearms and those behind the attempted importation.
The Director-General of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo (Rtd.), described the handover as more than a transfer of seized items, noting that it represented inter-agency cooperation, accountability and a shared responsibility to protect the peace and security of Nigeria.
According to him, the Customs Service’s role in intercepting and properly accounting for controlled items was critical to the Federal Government’s efforts to combat the illicit movement and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
DG expressed appreciation to the CGC for his leadership and for facilitating the handover.
He also commended officers and men of the Tin Can Island Port Command for their role in the interception, stressing that continued cooperation between the Customs Service and the Centre would contribute significantly to national security.
Kokumo expressed confidence that the partnership between both institutions would continue to yield positive results in the fight against illicit arms proliferation and strengthen efforts to safeguard the country.
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