Nigeria Customs seizes illegal arms, drugs in major operations
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has announced two major seizures at the Nigeria Customs Service Port Harcourt Area II Command in Onne.
The operations, aimed at securing the nation’s borders and ensuring public safety, uncovered illegal arms and a substantial quantity of illicit drugs.
Addressing the press on Monday, Adeniyi detailed the first major seizure involving a 40-foot container originating from Turkey.
According to him, the container, marked MAEU165396, had been flagged based on risk assessments and intelligence from both local and international agencies. Upon inspection on June 21, 2024, Customs officers discovered a cache of 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition concealed among items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.
He further disclosed that the duty-paid value of the container was estimated at ₦4.17 billion. Three suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue.
In a subsequent operation on June 29, 2024, Customs officers intercepted eight more 40-foot containers en route to a bonded warehouse from Onne Port.
The containers were found to contain over one million bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine and 3.5 million Trodol Benzhexol tablets, with a duty-paid value of ₦9.6 billion. In addition, 720 bales of used clothes valued at ₦144 million were discovered, bringing the total duty-paid value of the seizures to ₦13.92 billion.
Adeniyi emphasized that these seizures underscore the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to combating illegal activities. The seized arms and ammunition will be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for further investigation and prosecution. The arrested suspects will also be transferred for further processing.
Addressing other issues, Adeniyi announced the suspension of licenses and permits for all warehouses and terminals involved in these cases pending further investigation, adding that Customs officers found complicit will face severe sanctions, while those who upheld their duties will be rewarded.
The Comptroller General commended the Customs Area Comptroller of Onne Port, Mohammed Babandede, and his team for their diligent work. He also thanked local and international partners for their support.
Adeniyi concluded with a stern warning to potential offenders, stating that the Nigeria Customs Service will relentlessly pursue and shut down any operations that compromise the nation’s economy and security.
