Arms centre to destroy N4bn weapons seized by Customs

Hundreds of rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition seized by Nigerian Customs will be destroyed after official procedures are completed, the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons said.

The centre confirmed the handover of the weapons from Customs on Monday.

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The haul included a staggering 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition, all meticulously hidden inside a 40-foot container that originated from Turkey. The estimated value of the shipment was a staggering N4 billion.

Pius Okwuego, NCCSALW’s Director of Strategic Communications, in a statement released on Monday said the arms were handed over in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“The Nigerian Customs Service, under the leadership of Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, officially handed over the seized arms and ammunition to the NCCSALW today in Port Harcourt.

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“This transfer is a significant step in the collaborative efforts between national
security agencies to safeguard Nigeria’s borders and public safety,” the statement read.

Okwuego noted that Johnson Kokumo, the national coordinator of NCCSALW, emphasised the importance of destroying the weapons.

“This seizure is a testament to the
unwavering contributions of the Nigerian Customs Service to protect our nation from the dangers posed by illicit arms. The NCCSALW will ensure that these weapons are properly documented and destroyed to prevent them from ever posing a threat to our society,” Kokumo was quoted as saying.