Nigeria Customs seizes 1,100 arms at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos.

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has seized a container conveying 1,100 rifles at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos state.

While disclosing the seizure to newsmen in Lagos on Monday, the Comptroller General of NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), stated that the rifles were discovered on September 6 by the operatives of the NCS intelligence unit.

He said the operatives had spotted a 1x20ft container with registration number GESU2555208 which was not previously listed for examination, positioned with other containers for the day’s examination.

The container became suspect and had to be immediately transferred to the Enforcement Unit where it was discovered that its seal had already been cut and padlocked.

Also, the Bill of Lading, according to the CGC, indicated that the contents were washbasins and water closets.

He said thorough examination on September 7 however revealed 600 pieces of Jojef Magnum black pump action rifles, 300 pieces of Jojef Magnum silver pump action rifles and 200 pieces of Jojef Magnum plastic single-barrelled hunting pump action rifles.

The container, which was conveyed by a vessel, MV Bella Shuttle, arrived in Nigeria on January 1, Ali said.

He disclosed that an official of the NCS, who allegedly authorised the cutting of the seal, and the terminal clerk had been arrested and were undergoing investigation.

~Culled from Punch