BREAKING: Customs Intercepts 844 Units of Arms, 112,500 Ammunition, Drugs, Others Worth N13.9Billion At Onne Port

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi on Monday announced the interception of 9 containers bearing offensive items including arms, ammunition, illicit drugs and second hand clothings with total duty paid value of N13,915,710,000.00

At a press briefing held in Onne, River State on Monday 1st of July 2024, the Customs boss announced that one of the containers, a 40-footer container with numbers;MAEU165396
which originated from Turkey, based on the number of risk factors associated with this importation, became a subject of interest for the Nigeria Customs Service.

According to Adeniyi, thorough examination of the container revealed
the following alarming contents:
Eight Hundred and Forty-Four (844) units of rifles
One Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred (112,500) pieces of live ammunition

The breakdown is as follows:
764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles
10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles
50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles
20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles
Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g – 25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM)

The rifles and ammunition according to the customs boss, were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.

The duty-paid value of the single container is Four Billion, One Hundred and Seventy-One Million, Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira (N4,171,710,000.00).

Adeniyi said that three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure.

“We have followed its sail across continents and we have benefitted immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities both at local, national and international levels.

“The importer tried to circumvent our procedure throught the outlet of a private bonded terminal.
On Friday 21st of June 2024, the auspicious container was subjected to thorough physical examination,

In another development, the Customs CG said officers, through synergy, collaboration, and intelligence sharing, on Saturday, 29 June 2024, intercepted yet another 8×40-foot container on transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne Port.

The container numbers are TCKU6879285, CMAU5985012, CMAU7515384, CMAU4297020, SEKU5488437, BMOU4363156, MRKU4616024, and MRSU3068928.

Upon examination, they were found to contain the following:
Six containers laden with:
1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml)
3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol Tablets (5mg)
Duty-paid value: Nine Billion, Six Hundred Million Naira
(N9,600,000,000.00)

Two containers laden with:
720 bales of used clothes
With Duty-paid value: ₦144,000,000.00
The total duty-paid value of the nine displayed containers is Thirteen Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira (N13,915,710,000.00).

Speaking further, Adeniyi said The Licences and Permits issued for the operation of all the Warehouses and Terminals as well as those of their Customs Agents involved in these cases have been suspended pending the determination of their involvement.

He also said that Customs Officers who are found complicit in the perpetration of these nefarious act would be heavily sanctioned in a manner that would be approved by the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service.

In the same vein, he said fficers who kept faith with the Oath of allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and refused to be bribed into releasing these containers will be adequately rewarded in a manner provided by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

“Let me warmly commend the professional commitment of the Customs Area Comptroller Onne Port, Mohammed Babandede and through him his Officers and Men, for the meticulous approach deployed to this operation. I also acknowledge our various partners, local and international who provided us the much needed information to successfully prosecute this operation.

“Finally, this seizure serves as a strong warning to others who may be contemplating similar misadventures, my message to them is simple; we will run you out of business. The Nigeria Customs Service, under my leadership, will not tolerate any action that compromises the economy and security of our beloved nation” Adeniyi concluded