Pic.28. Officials of Nigerian Customs Service sorting some of the 470 pump action rifles smuggled into the country, which were seized 10 days after a similar seizure from Turkey, in Lagos on Thursday (21/9/17).
05078/21/9/2017/Wasiu Zubair/TA/BJO/NAN
The Tin-Can Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 2,671 pump action rifles imported from Turkey.
Hameed Ali, comptroller-general of NCS, told journalists in Lagos on Thursday that the seizure was the fourth at the Lagos port within eight months.
“Following increased arms seizures in recent times, the Customs Area Controller of Tin-Can Port, Comptroller Yusuf Bashar, ordered a detailed profile of all imports, especially those coming from Turkey,” he said.
“Customs decided to follow profiling approach of 100 percent examination on containers, especially those from Turkey.
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“Tin-Can Customs command intercepted another 20ft container No CMAUI817/8 containing 470 pump action rifles immediately the container landed from the port of origin to Nigerian ports.
“The terminal operator was consequently directed to quarantine the container for analysis.
“The container was later transferred to enforcement unit of the command where 100 percent examination revealed it contained 470 pump action rifles.”
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Ali said that the bill of lading of the container indicated elbow plumbing plastics.
According to him, the importer of the cargo is Great Oil and Gas Ltd and the vessel named “MV Arkas Africa” owned by Hull Blyth.
He added that NCS would now be responsive and capable of meeting the challenges being posed and urged Nigerians to “remain vigilant to deal with enemies of the country”.
He said customs officers were now on the alert, following the directive he issued to customs area controllers on Wednesday.
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He said he would meet with the ambassador of Turkey to discuss the continuous importation of containers of ammunition into Nigeria.
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