Customs seize rifle, ammunition and military gear in Lagos port

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin-Can Island Port Command has intercepted guns and ammunition concealed in an imported used vehicle, and another sets of ammunition hidden in a container loaded with another used vehicle.

The Customs Area Controller of the TICP command, Bashar Yusuf, disclosed this to newsmen in the command on Monday that two pump action riffles and 7,500 air gun pallets, among other absolutely prohibited item were found in the personal effects coming from the United States of America.

The items included nine pieces of bullet proof vests ; one military helmet, a set of military gas mask with two spare glass, a pistol pouch, a riffle pouch, two military boots, 26 packs of military already made food pack, 3500 pieces of Premier Hollow point air gun pallets and 4,000 premier hollow point air gun pallets.

Others were Omni American Tactical riffle with Serial number AR48634 and a Moasberg American Pump Action with serial number U648018; a pair of camouflage wears and a jacket; all which were detained alongside one suspect, Christian Mbachi, said to be a cousin of the importer.

The items which according to him, came as personal effects were neatly packed inside two vehicles, a 2004 Toyota Camry and a 2007 Nissan Amada jeep.

Bashar said: “How do you expect people to Secure Visas to foreign countries and on their way back, the best they could think of, is to bring in items that are absolutely prohibited items like guns and gas masks”, wondered the CAC, adding that he invited the media, so as to stress the need for enlightenment as to dangerous items that were not permitted to import into the country.

He added; “These people have not used their green passports to bring in agricultural equipment or machinery for processing raw materials. Why should somebody come home with as much as 7,500 units of air gun pallets.

“What would happen if we had failed to examine and detect these dangerous items brought in as personal effects?”, he asked, noting that insecurity is easily planted, when dangerous equipment like that sneaked in twos and threes, until they are sufficient to arm an entire platoon.

Bashar said recalled that the Command had in recent past, also uncovered 900 pieces of live ammunition, two riffles, about 300 military uniforms, asides from the N2b worth of cocaine, uncovered about two months ago.