Less than 48 hours after announcing interception of a container laden with arms and ammunition illegally imported into the country from Turkiye in Onne Port, Rivers State, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has announced another interception of cache of arms and ammunition at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA), Lagos, worth N270million.
The consignment, which was intercepted at the cargo section of the MMA, was also imported from Turkiye with one suspect in custody.
According to the Customs boss, military hardwares and accoutrements were also intercepted by the Airport Command of NCS.
He said, “on 19th June, 2024, the MMA 2 command deployed personnel to man all exit points and conducted examination on all consignment due to the intelligence available to us and upon examination a parcel with number 235/587737755 which originated from Turkiye was intercepted.
“The consignment was exterminated from the rest and it was gathered that 55 pieces of Tomahawk semi automatic short gun was Intercepted with one suspect arrested.”
LEADERSHIP had on Monday reported that at Onne Port in Rivers State, the Service intercepted a 40-feet container with number MAEU165396, which contained pump action rifles and ammunition worth N4.17billion.
It was gathered that based on the number of risk factors associated with the importation, it became a subject of interest for the Customs Service and that led to thorough examination of the container which revealed that the container contained 844 units of rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition imported into the country from Turkiye.
Details Later…
