The NIS says: “Besides, we learnt that the passenger with dual citizenship has the approval of the US Government to carry firearms, but such should have been declared at the port of entry, which he didn’t do. However, we are yet to verify the documents he’s carrying.”
By Uzor Odigbo
With news of banditry taking over a large part of the North, especially with the latest bombing of a train and abduction of 168 passengers, a Nigerian returning from the United States arrived in the country with a gun.
But the Nigeria Immigration Service officials (NIS) at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) Command, intercepted the passenger who has dual citizenship for allegedly not declaring the firearms he brought into the secretary.
The male passenger was in possession of two international passports; Nigerian and American.
The Nigerian-American, who arrived in the country aboard a United Airlines flight from Houston, the United States at 10:10 am, was said to have checked in the firearms; a Barretta handgun and 26 rounds of 9mm ammunition concealed in his luggage.
READ ALSO
Terrorists kill over 80, abduct 70, burn several houses in Plateau
TheNiche learnt that the passenger did not declare the firearms as stipulated in international laws on firearms carriage.
According to a source, the passenger had some documents from the U.S, which allowed him to bear firearms, but the authenticity of the papers could not be validated.
The source said: “Officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service actually intercepted the passenger with the firearms during screening. So far, the passenger is undergoing scrutiny from the officials of the service and will be handed over to the relevant authorities after interrogation.
“Besides, we learnt that the passenger with dual citizenship has the approval of the US Government to carry firearms, but such should have been declared at the port of entry, which he didn’t do. However, we are yet to verify the documents he’s carrying.”
At the time of filing this report, the passenger is still undergoing interrogation at the immigration office, after which he would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further questioning.