The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has confiscated assorted arms, drones, and military equipment valued at ₦1.5 billion. These items were illegally exported from Turkey to Lagos State.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, revealed this significant seizure on Wednesday at the Murtala Muhammed Area Command.
Adeniyi explained that acting on intelligence from both local and international partners, the Command deployed personnel to secure all exit points around the airport on June 19, 2024. During the examination of the consignments, parts suspected to be components of a rifle were discovered in a shipment from Turkey with airway bill number 235-58737755.
“During the examination, an item was discovered and suspected to be part of a rifle from a consignment emanating from Turkey. Consequently, the entire consignment was isolated for thorough examination.
It was established that 4 packages were used to conceal 55 pieces of unassembled Jojef magnum (Tomahawk) semi-automatic shotguns, disguised as shower faucets. The Duty Paid Value of these illicit arms is ₦270,888,109.29,” Adeniyi stated.
The total value of the seized military and paramilitary equipment, including drones and other gear, was put at ₦1.29 billion. Adeniyi noted that recent analyses indicated that some Nigerians based in Turkey are purchasing, packaging, and exporting these illicit arms to Nigeria.
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A suspect linked to the importation has been arrested and will 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 thorough investigation and prosecution.
The seized items include:
– 148 pieces of drones
– 172 pieces of ballistic vests
– 15 pieces of ballistic plates
– One piece of ballistic helmet
– Eight pieces of walkie-talkies
– 9,172 pieces of military and paramilitary badges
– 20 pieces of camouflage uniforms
– 100 pieces of camouflage vests
– 172 pieces of camouflage caps
– 120 pieces of binoculars
This seizure follows a recent announcement by Customs officers in Port Harcourt, who seized 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of ammunition, highlighting the ongoing efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service to curb the importation of illicit arms and military equipment.
