Nigeria Customs Service uncovers 399 rifles in port shipment

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered 399 fully assembled firearms and various rifle parts following a detailed examination of a seized shipment at the Tin Can Island Port Command. The discovery was confirmed after customs officials completed the assembly and inspection of the arms shipment, which had been initially concealed within a container as knocked-down components.

Bashir Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of NCS, disclosed that the container held components preliminarily identified as Jojef pump-action rifles. The additional recovered parts include 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs, 80 charging handles, 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips, and five barrels.

Adeniyi voiced concerns that criminal networks might exploit Nigeria's borders, ports, and airports to transport prohibited items into the country, particularly with the upcoming general elections. He stated that the service would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations to prevent the movement of illicit arms and other prohibited goods through the nation's entry points.

The NCS reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, enhanced border surveillance, and collaboration with other security agencies to dismantle arms-trafficking networks. Adeniyi specifically mentioned cooperation with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) to safeguard national security. The seized firearms will be handed over to the NCCSALW after the inventory and assessment are completed, reflecting the commitment of security agencies to removing dangerous weapons from circulation and bringing traffickers to justice.

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We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this.