By Uzor Odigbo
The Tincan Island Customs command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a total of one thousand, one hundred (1,100) rifles falsely declared as wash hand basins and water closets.
It will be recalled that two previous cases of six hundred and sixty-one (661) pump action rifles from the Apapa ports and four hundred and forty (440) pump action rifles from the Tincan Island ports, all in Lagos, were intercepted by the Customs earlier this year and were already in court.
The present seizure of 1,100 pump action rifles is the third in the series of arms seizure the service is making in Lagos alone within eight (8) months of 2017.
Conducting newsmen round the seizures in Lagos on Monday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), disclosed that on September 6, 2017, operatives of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) on a routine monitoring of activities at the terminals discovered a 1x20ft container number, GESU2555208, which was not previously listed for examination, positioned with other containers scheduled for examination on the said day.
Ali said that the operatives also observed that the seal of the container had already been cut and padlocked thereby raising the suspicion of the operatives who subsequently transferred the container to the Enforcement Unit.
According to him, “The bill of lading falsely indicates the content to be wash hand basins and water closets, but thorough examination the following day, 7th September, 2017, revealed the following; Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles (600pcs), Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles (300pcs) and Jojef Magnum Plastic Single Barrel Hunting Gun Pump Action Rifles (200pcs). The vessel MV Bella Shuttle of 01-01-2017 conveyed the container.
“Importation of 1,100 rifles at a time when the nation is undergoing some security challenges is a clear indication that there are indeed some elements who do not believe in the unity, peace and well being of Nigerians.
“This particular seizure being the third (3rd) in the series of arms seizures within 8 months of this year, presents an all time high of the triumph of NCS over evil forces. The audacity of these criminals to think that they can succeed in smuggling such quantity of deadly weapons into the country calls for all round responsibilities. Shipping agencies and terminal operators must wake up to support the service to nip in the bud, attempts to smuggle such dangerous items into the country.
“As you may already be aware, the two previous cases of 661 Pump Action Rifles from Apapa and the 440 Pump Action Rifles from this command seized earlier in the year are already in court. We look forward to justice being served to deter other would-be arms smugglers”.
The Customs boss revealed that a customs officer alleged to have authorized the cutting of the seal as well as the terminal clerk had been arrested and were undergoing investigation even as he assured that the service under his watch would fish out all those remotely connected to what he called devilish importation with a view to bringing them to justice.
He therefore commended the operatives of the CIU for a job well done adding that,”seizure such as this is a testimony to the fact that a well reformed and intelligence driven Nigeria Customs Service will better serve the interest of the nation.
“The present Management will continue to reposition and fine tune operational strategies of the service in line with the federal government’s drive towards new and better ways of serving Nigerians.
“Finally, let me thank the media for your support and urge you to continue to inform and educate citizens on the dangers of smuggling to the security and well being of Nigerians”, he said.
