The authorities of the Nigeria Customs Service have handed over a total of 1,599 assorted arms and 2, 298 live cartridges to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

Speaking during the handover ceremony in Lagos, the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated that some of the importers of the assault weapons have been convicted while other cases are still undergoing court process.

Adeniyi said 11 suspects connected to the arms trafficking network were also handed over for further investigation and possible prosecution.

According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service has reinforced its core mandate of protecting the nation’s borders through targeted anti-smuggling operations and precise intelligence-driven interventions.

The CG noted that the NCS has played a frontline role in maintaining national security by intercepting illegal arms and ammunition.

On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, commended the collaborative efforts between Customs and other arms-bearing agencies.

Represented by the NCCSALW Director General, Johnson Kokumo, the NSA reiterated the government’s commitment to preventing the circulation of illicit arms.

This is not the first time the NCS would intercept rifles imported into the country.

In May 2018, the agency intercepted 440 pump-action rifles concealed in 516 bags of Plaster of Paris (POP) cement.

The rifles were hidden in a 20-foot container at the Tin Can Island Port. Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of two additional containers (CMAU 189817/8 and GESU 255208/1) similarly packed with arms hidden among sanitary wares.