The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a cache of assorted arms, drones, and military equipment valued at ₦1.5 billion.

According to Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the seizure took place at the Murtala Muhammed Area Command in Lagos State, following intelligence from local and international sources.

“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,” Adeniyi disclosed during a press briefing on Wednesday.

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The investigation led to the discovery of 55 unassembled Jojef magnum (Tomahawk) semi-automatic shotguns concealed within four packages disguised as shower faucets. The Duty Paid Value of these illicit arms alone was estimated at ₦270,888,109.29.

Additionally, the Customs authorities uncovered military and paramilitary accoutrements valued at ₦1.29 billion, contributing to the total seizure value of ₦1.5 billion. Adeniyi highlighted that recent seizures indicate a trend where Nigerian nationals based in Turkey are purchasing and exporting illegal arms to Nigeria.

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“One suspect has been apprehended in connection with this illicit importation and will be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for thorough investigation and prosecution,” Adeniyi confirmed.

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The confiscated items include 148 drones, 172 ballistic vests, 15 ballistic plates, one ballistic helmet, eight walkie-talkies, 9,172 military and paramilitary badges, 20 camouflage uniforms, 100 camouflage vests, 172 camouflage caps, and 120 binoculars.

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They were apprehended last week Friday by a patrol team of NDLEA officers along the Gwagwalada Expressway in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the agency disclosed in a statement on Sunday.

Items recovered from them included 21 RLA 7.45mm ammunition concealed in a water bottle; 16 packs of new two-way radio (walkie talkie); four army coloured head masks; and a wallet containing an army ID.

Also recovered from the suspects were three mobile phones, seven Nigerian Army pass letters, five handbags, and a sack containing personal belongings, among other items.

A photo released by the NDLEA shows the masks and other items recovered by operatives.

Galadima , who claimed to be a Lance Corporal serving in Ibadan, Oyo State, said they were taking the items to Kaduna and Kano states.

The NDLEA, however said a preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects may have contact with bandits in the North West and were possibly moving the ammunition and the two-way radios to bandits to aid their operations following the suspension of telecommunications services in parts of Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kaduna States.

In a bid to further investigate the matter, the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa has directed the FCT Command of the Agency – which made the arrest – to transfer the suspects to authorities of the Nigerian Army and another intelligence agency, which had earlier placed the two men on its watch list.

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Also, the command hinted that it has seized one thousand, seven hundred and fifty three (1, 753) 50kg bags of imported foreign rice between July and October this year.

Its spokesperson in charge of Niger/Kwara/Kogi Command, Mr. Benjamin Lomba, made disclosed this through a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday.

In the statement, Lomba said a total of fifteen seizures were made between July and September this year.

The statement further reads in part, “the Niger/Kwara/Kogi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service within the first eighteen (18) days in the month of October has made a total seizure of five hundred and fourteen (514) 50kg bags of imported foreign rice with a duty paid value of eight million, seven hundred and fifty-one thousand, six hundred naira (N8,751,600.00).

“While a total of fifteen (15) seizures with the duty paid value of one hundred and two million, two hundred and seventy thousand, seventy-two naira (N102,270,072.00) only from the month of July to September (third quarter) 2018 were made”.

He stressed that the command in the third quarter of the year, seized no fewer than one hundred and eighty nine thousand (189,000) pieces of ammunition.

“Some of the strategic seizures of the third quarter of the year include:

“One hundred and Eighty Nine thousand (189,000) pieces of ammunition with a duty paid value of sixty three million, five hundred and four thousand naira (N63,504,000.00) only.

“One thousand, two hundred and thirty nine (1239) 50kg bags of rice with duty paid value of twenty two million, three hundred and fifty one thousand, four naira (N22,351,400.00).

“A total of Twelve (12) fairly used assorted vehicles were arrested with a duty paid value of Fourteen million, Eight hundred and Sixty thousand, Four hundred and Thirty Six naira (N14,860,436.00).

“Other items such as vegetable oil, textile fabrics, footwear etc with duty paid value of One million, Five hundred and Fifty Four thousand, Two hundred and Thirty Six naira (N1,554,236.00).

“The Command also generated a total of Seven Hundred and Twenty-Five million, Five hundred and Five Thousand, Eighty-Eight naira, Seventy-Nine kobo (N725,505,088.79) in the third quarter of the year 2018. This when compared to a revenue figure of Five hundred and thirty-Four million, One hundred and Fifteen thousand, Twelve naira, Eighty kobo (N534,115,012.80) made within the same period in 2017 shows an increase of One hundred and Ninety-One million, Three hundred and Ninety thousand, Seventy-Six naira (N191,390,076.00) in the revenue generated.

“The Command looks forward to unprecedented performance in this last quarter of the year by re-strategizing, applying various diversifications in intelligence gathering and utilization, application of diplomacy in anti-smuggling especially in volatile border areas etc.

“This will enable the command to consistently build on both revenue and anti-smuggling feats”, Lomba added.

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