The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has handed over 399 fully assembled JoJef pump-action rifles and 535 assorted firearm components to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, NCCSALW.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made this known during the formal handover of the seized weapons, saying the consignment was intercepted at the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, through the Service’s risk management system.
According to Adeniyi, the container arrived at the Tin Can Island Port on July 8, 2026, aboard the vessel MV Velika. The firearms were reportedly concealed in knockdown form, comprising dismantled components designed to make the weapons less recognisable during inspection.
He said the subsequent examination and coupling of the components resulted in the recovery of 399 fully assembled rifles and 535 assorted firearm components, including 89 frames, 80 charging handles, 579 trigger groups and 25 locking lugs.
Adeniyi said the seizure was particularly significant given the security challenges confronting the country, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and violent crime.
He also linked the interception to the importance of technology-driven border management, noting that the container was flagged by the Customs risk management system rather than being opened through routine inspection.
The Customs boss said the system, deployed under the Trade Modernisation Project and supported by the B’Odogwu platform, enables the Service to identify high-risk consignments for examination.
“What technology gives us is the ability to know which container to open,” he said, adding that the interception demonstrated the capability of the system to identify concealed illicit consignments.
Adeniyi disclosed that two suspects, Robert Eze and Ejiogwu Gulsun, had been arrested in connection with the importation. He said one of them was arrested on July 31 at the Bondi Terminal while allegedly attempting to procure the release of the container.
The suspects, he added, had been remanded by the Federal High Court in Lagos, with their arraignment scheduled for August 25, 2026.
He said the handover of the firearms to the National Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser, marked another stage in the investigation and prosecution process.
The Customs boss assured that the Service would continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, risk management and collaboration with sister security agencies to prevent the use of Nigeria’s ports and borders for the movement of arms.
He also warned Customs personnel against involvement in the illicit arms trade, saying officers who facilitate the movement of such consignments would not receive protection from the Service.
Adeniyi commended officers of the Tin Can Island Port Command for detecting the concealed consignment and praised the National Centre for its continued cooperation with the Customs Service.
The Director-General of the NCCSALW, DIG Johnson Kokumo while receiving the weapons, described the handover as a significant step towards strengthening national security and protecting communities.
He said the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons remained a major driver of terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other violent crimes in Nigeria.
The Director-General disclosed that more than 21,000 small arms and light weapons had been retrieved by the Centre since its establishment, while over 19,000 had been destroyed.
He commended the Customs Service for the interception and arrest of suspects linked to the shipment, noting that the cooperation between both institutions demonstrated the importance of inter-agency collaboration in combating arms proliferation.
He assured that the weapons would be managed and accounted for in line with national legislation and international best practices to ensure they do not return to criminal hands.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Port, Joe Anani also described the handover as a demonstration of inter-agency cooperation, accountability and the shared responsibility of security agencies to protect the country.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to supporting Federal Government efforts to combat the illegal movement and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.