The Nigeria Customs Service has officially transferred a total of 1,599 assorted firearms and 2,298 live cartridges to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
During the handover ceremony in Lagos, Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, mentioned that some individuals involved in the importation of the weapons have already been convicted, while others are still facing court proceedings.
Adeniyi also stated that 11 suspects linked to the arms trafficking network have been handed over for further investigation and potential prosecution. He emphasized that the Nigeria Customs Service continues to strengthen its core mandate of safeguarding the nation’s borders through focused anti-smuggling operations and intelligence-driven efforts.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, represented by the NCCSALW Director General, Johnson Kokumo, reiterated the government’s commitment to preventing the circulation of illicit arms.
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.
