Nigeria Customs and Fighting Arms, Drug Smuggling By Abdulsalam Mahmud

It appears economic saboteurs have declared war against the country. Lately, they have shifted up the gear of perpetrating their illicit business of smuggling lethal contrabands into Nigeria.

But while they are plotting how to successfully execute their evil business, the Nigeria Customs continues to thwart their nefarious agenda. Like it has always done in the past, the NCS earlier in the week foiled the importation of a large cache of arms and ammunition hidden in a 40-foot container marked MAEU165396 from Turkey.

It impounded 844 units of rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition imported via Onne Port in Rivers State. “The rifles and ammunition were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.

“The value of payable duty on the container is N4,171,710,000.00,” Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi said. Also seized were drugs worth over N13.9 billion. Adeniyi displayed the weapons at the NCS Port Harcourt Area II Command, Onne, on Monday.

He said three suspects were in custody after the service got a detention warrant from a court. He said the illicit drugs were found in different cartons in nine containers. Adeniyi said the NCS monitored the shipments from their point of departure in collaboration with local and international intelligence agencies.

He said: “When efforts are geared towards creating actions that will produce irreversible consequences on national security, our alert level is elevated to match the threats posed to us. And so it was the case with this 1X40 foot container MAEU165396, which originated from Turkey, and based on a number of risk factors, became a subject of interest.

“We had followed its sail across the continents, as we benefitted immensely from credible information produced through our collaboration with the intelligence communities, both at the local, national, and international levels. Working within our local structures, we followed diligently as the importer attempted to circumvent our procedure through the outlet of a Private Bonded Terminal.

“On Friday, 21 June 2024, the suspicious container was subjected to a thorough physical examination. The examination result revealed the following alarming contents: 844 units of rifles, 112,500 pieces of live ammunition.

“The breakdown is as follows: 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles, 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles, 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles, 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles, Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g – 25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM).”

Customs also intercepted another 8×40-foot container in transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne Port on June 29. Adeniyi said: “The container numbers are TCKU6879285, CMAU5985012, CMAU7515384, CMAU4297020, SEKU5488437, BMOU4363156, MRKU4616024, and MRSU3068928.

“Upon examination, they were found to contain the following: six containers laden with 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml), 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol Tablets (5mg), Duty-paid value: N9,600,000,000.00)

“Two containers laden with 720 bales of used clothes with duty-paid value: N144,000,000.00. The total duty-paid value of the nine displayed containers is N13,915,710,000.00.

“In line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the following decisions have been taken with respect to these containers. The 40-footer container of evil, bearing 844 units of assorted rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition is hereby seized, alongside the other contents previously highlighted.

“The items would be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser for diligent investigation, and ultimately rigorous prosecution. The suspects arrested would be handed over to the Centre for further processing.

“We will work diligently with other agencies of government to apprehend all other cohorts and death merchants involved in this monkey business. The eight containers whose contents were wrongly declared to evade duty payment and prohibition order are hereby declared seized.

“The licenses and permits issued for the operation of all the warehouses and terminals as well as those of their customs agents involved in these cases are hereby suspended pending the determination of their involvement. Customs officers who are found complicit in the perpetration of these nefarious acts would be heavily sanctioned in a manner that would be approved by the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service.

“Officers who kept faith with the Oath of Allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and refused to be bribed into releasing these containers will be adequately rewarded in a manner provided by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.” He commended the professional commitment of the Customs Area Comptroller, Onne Port, Mohammed Babandede, as well as the role of his officers and men.

He said: “I also acknowledge our various partners, local and international, who provided us the much-needed information to successfully prosecute this operation. This seizure serves as a strong warning to others who may be contemplating similar misadventures. My message to them is simple: we will run you out of business.

“The Nigeria Customs Service, under my leadership, will not tolerate any action that compromises the economy and security of our beloved nation.” At a time when insecurity is worsening in Nigeria, the Customs should be commended for frequently impounding smuggled firearms and hard substances.

By making intelligence gathering and analysis a key part of their combat operations, our security and law enforcement agencies can achieve remarkable success in fighting criminals and enhancing national security. By tracking the cargo from its origin in Turkey to its interception point within the country, the Nigeria Customs Service has thwarted potential havoc.

If the seized ammunition had fallen into the hands of terrorists and other criminal gangs, the consequences could have been catastrophic. This successful operation highlights the critical role of vigilance, international collaboration, and advanced intelligence in safeguarding our nation’s security.

Mahmud is Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, and wrote in via: babasalam1989@gmail.com.