The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has impounded assorted arms, drones, and military accoutrements worth ₦1.5 billion exported from Turkey to Lagos State.
The seizure is coming on the heels of the recent interception of prohibited items at Onne Port Complex, Rivers State by the CNCS High Command.
The assorted items are in the Import Prohibition List (IPL) maintained by the NCS as part of the Federal Government fiscal policies.
These were disclosed by the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Adewale Bashir Adeniyi at the Murtala Muhammed Area Command of the NCS.
The Customs Chief revealed that the Command, acting on intelligence from local and international collaborators, on June 19, 2024, deployed its personnel to man all the exit points around the airport.
His words: “During the examination, an item was discovered and suspected to be part of a rifle from a console consignment with airway bill number 235-58737755, emanating from Turkey. Consequently, the entire consignment was isolated for thorough examination. At the end of the examination, it was established that four packages were used to conceal 55 pieces of unassembled Jojef magnum (Tomahawk) semi-automatic shotgun. The unassembled rifles were concealed using shower faucet. The Duty Paid Value of these illicit arms is ₦270, 888, 109.29.”
Adeniyi put the value of the military and paramilitary accoutrements improperly imported at ₦1.29 billion with the total value of the item put at ₦1.5 billion.
According to him, analysis of recent seizures showed that some unscrupulous Nigerians based in Turkey are purchasing, packaging and exporting these illicit arms to Nigeria. A suspect was arrested in connection with the illicit arms importation and would be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser, for diligent investigation and prosecution.
A breakdown of the seized items include 148 pieces of drones, 172 pieces of ballistic vest, 15 pieces of ballistic plates, and one piece of ballistic helmet.
Others are eight pieces of walkie-talkie, 9,172 pieces of military and paramilitary badges, 20 pieces of camouflage uniform, 100 pieces of camouflage vest, 172 pieces of camouflage cap, and 120 pieces of binoculars.
