The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, recently made a significant seizure at Onne Port, Rivers State, intercepting a 40ft container filled with various types of arms and nine containers loaded with codeine. The announcement was made by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during a press conference in Onne on Monday.
During the conference, Adeniyi displayed the intercepted weapons and drugs to journalists, revealing that they had been imported from Turkey. These illicit items were ingeniously concealed within doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags, amounting to a total duty-paid value of N4,171,710,000.00.
“The agency acted swiftly upon receiving credible intelligence about a suspicious 1×40-foot container from Turkey on June 21,” Adeniyi stated. Upon inspection, customs officers uncovered 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition.
Adeniyi emphasized, “This interception underscores our unwavering commitment to national security and public safety. We remain vigilant and resolute in executing our duties.”
Regarding the individuals involved, Adeniyi mentioned, “Three suspects have been detained in connection with the seizure, and a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure all responsible face legal consequences.”
Additionally, on June 29, customs officers intercepted eight 40-foot containers intended for a bonded warehouse from Onne Port. These containers contained a staggering 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine, 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol, and 720 bales of used clothes, with a duty-paid value of ₦13,915,710,000.00.
“The container carrying the arms and ammunition will be transferred to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for further investigation and prosecution,” Adeniyi assured. He also stated, “Licenses and permits of warehouses and terminals implicated have been suspended, and officers found complicit will face severe sanctions.”
Adeniyi expressed gratitude for the invaluable support received from local and international partners, as well as other government agencies. He issued a stern warning to potential offenders, declaring, “This seizure serves as a stern warning to anyone contemplating similar unlawful ventures. We will shut down your operations. The NCS remains steadfast in safeguarding Nigeria’s borders and ensuring the security of its citizens.”
