Story by Dili Utomi.
The legendary writer Chinua Achebe wrote in one of his classical novels that “The hunter has said that since the birds have learnt to fly without perching, he the hunter has also learned to shoot without missing”. This aptly describes the level of intelligence and hard work being exhibited by the officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service while carrying out their functions these day. There seems to be new vigour added to their efforts since one of their’s is now the Acting Comptroller General of Customs (CGC).
The Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has been touring the various Commands and was at the Zone A of the Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja Lagos where he detailed some of the most recent seizures of illegally imported merchandise.
The Acting Comptroller General of Customs who was accompanied by the Coordinator of the Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, F.O. Okun and various Command heads in and around Lagos said that “On the 5th of July 2023, during a joint operation with the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security, the National Drug Law Enforcement and Administration, and the Customs Intelligence Unit at the Ports Terminal and Multi Services Limited Command, a thorough physical examination of a 40ft container was conducted. The examination revealed the concealment of 10 dangerous arms and various rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums. The details are:
A. 3 new Pump Action rifles and one new unit of an armed rifle
B. 6 new different makes of pistols.
(1) One new millennium G2 pistol.
(2) One new sarsilmaz SAR-9X pistol.
(3) One new Lugger Security-9 pistol.
(4) One new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol.
(5) One new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, and
(6) One new Taurus (63 pistol)
C. 14 empty magazines d. 442 rounds of live ammunition.
The clearing agent, Mr Shokunbi Olanrewaju of Shooler Global International Ltd and Mr Joseph Nwadiodor, who was expected to take delivery of the container, are currently detained as suspects in connection with the seizure.
He added that similar seizures were made at the Tin Can Island Port Command were made and the listed items seized.
“The physical examination uncovered 18 arms, packets of cartridges and rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums. The details are:
A. 6 different makes of pistols
(1) Two (2) Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols
(2) One (1) Ruger American Pistol And
(3) Three (3) Taurus G3c ~ Bainbridge Pistols).
B. 12 different makes of riffles
(1) Five (5) Rz17hd Rifles,
(2) One (1) Gamo Rifle,
(3) Five (5) Pump Action Rifles And
(4) One (1) Rz17 Tactical Rifle)
C.10ackets of cartridges
D. 2 packets of 9mm ammunition
E. 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition
F. 1carton of Frontier cartridges
G. 2 packets of Buckshot ammunition.
Also, the CGC detailed some other seizures made over the first two weeks of July saying “Again, during a routine patrol along Owode/Ajilete Axis of Ogun State by officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, on Wednesday 12 July 2023, intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal, which
was used to conceal three (3) pump action riffles with 174 live cartridges”.
In all, a total of 31 rifles plus ammunition were intercepted over the two weeks period.9
The CGC took Journalists round to see the displayed seized weapons and ammunition and afterwards fielded some questions. CGC Adeniyi said that the seizures are spectacular evidences of the diligent work rate of his men. He added that the process of the prosecution of the offenders is ongoing, but that the law shall take its course as he said that the new Customs law has imposed heavy fines on those breaching the extant laws and hopes that these will be deterrent enough to discourage illegal trade. The CGC concluded that they are reviewing their security architecture, strengthening the FOU and reorganising check points to make for more effective operations within the Customs.
For advert placement and more information, please call us on 08027590195, 08035721540 or email us at [email protected] or send us messages on twitter @dn_utomi or on instagram @utomidili.
