1,100 Rifles Intercepted In Lagos
1,100 pump action of various types concealed in a 20 feet container was intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). This latest seizure came from turkey unlike the previous amunitions intercepted which had been from china.
Addressing newsmen, yesterday, the Controller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), said that the consignment was concealed in a container, number GESU2555208, and the bill of lading falsely indicated the content to be wash-hand basins and water closets. He explained that the culprits of the previous seizures were on trial and the Customs officers involved have been dismissed.
The types of rifles, he said, include Jojef magnum black pump-action (600 pieces), Jojef Magnum silver pump-action rifles (300 pieces) and Jojef Magnum plastic single-barrel hunting gun pump-action rifles (200 pieces).
Ali disclosed that what aroused the suspicion of officers was that the container was not originally listed for examination but was positioned with other containers for the day’s examination and its seal was already cut and padlocked.
his made the examination officers to immediately transfer the container to the enforcement unit, where examination revealed its illicit contents.
One officer of the service alleged to have authorised the cutting of the seal and the terminal clerk have been arrested and are under interrogation.
“NCS, under my leadership, will do all that is possible to fish out all those remotely connected to this devilish importation. We shall bring them to justice,” the CG vowed.
Recall that earlier this year Nigerian Customs had intercepted two containers of rifles this year. On March 10, 2017, Customs intercepted 661 pump-action rifles and on May 23 another 440 rifles were intercepted. The container, loaded with 661 rifles, was intercepted along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway after it was duly cleared from the Tin Can Port but the other two were intercepted before they were cleared from the Tin Can Port.
