Crime
Customs hands over 1,599 seized arms, ammunition in Lagos to NSA Office
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially handed over 1,599 assorted arms and 2,298 live cartridges, seized during operations in 2024, to the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The handover ceremony, held yesterday, marks a significant step in the country’s ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of illicit arms.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the critical role of intelligence-driven interventions in safeguarding national security, particularly in light of rising insecurity from armed banditry in the Northwest and the spread of illegal arms in the Southeast.
Adeniyi revealed that 11 suspects connected to the arms trafficking network were also handed over for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“The Nigeria Customs Service has reinforced its core mandate of protecting our national borders through targeted anti-smuggling operations and precise intelligence-driven interventions,” Adeniyi said.
“Our track record in intercepting illegal arms and ammunition underscores our frontline role in maintaining national security.”
Recall that major breakthrough came in May 2018, when Customs intercepted 440 pump-action rifles concealed in 516 bags of Plaster of Paris (POP) cement.
The rifles were hidden in a 20-foot container at the Tin Can Island Port.
Subsequent investigations led to the discovery of two additional containers (CMAU 189817/8 and GESU 255208/1) similarly packed with arms hidden among sanitary wares.
“Today’s handover encompasses these seizures, culminating in the recovery of 1,599 arms and 2,298 live cartridges,” Adeniyi stated.
The Customs boss highlighted the sophisticated investigative techniques employed, including forensic analysis of shipping records and collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to trace the illicit shipments to a Turkish company.
Legal action was subsequently pursued through the Office of the Attorney General, resulting in prosecutions at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
He said: ”Through strategic inter-agency cooperation, we have successfully disrupted these smuggling operations. Our resolve remains firm: the Service will spare no effort in dismantling such networks.”
Adeniyi also disclosed ongoing investigations into recent arms seizures at the Onne Port, where similar concealment methods were detected.
Strengthening Inter-Agency Collaboration
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, who was represented by Mr. Johnson Kokumo, commended the collaborative efforts between Customs and other arms-bearing agencies.
Crime
BREAKING: Police Rescue Kidnapped Sister of Ex-minister Adelabu and Twin Sons
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have successfully rescued Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, alive following a swift late-night operation on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
The rescue took place around 7:30 p.m. as police engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel, neutralising two suspected members of the syndicate and recovering two firearms.
The victims were abducted on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, around 7:30 a.m. while on their way to drop the children at school. Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul is the younger sister of former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
According to police sources, sustained intelligence tracking and tactical pressure on the kidnappers forced them into a confrontation with security operatives, leading to the successful rescue of all three victims unharmed.
Security forces have launched a manhunt and are currently combing surrounding areas for other fleeing members of the kidnapping gang, some of whom are believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the exchange of fire.
Crime
FCT Police Foil Midnight Kidnapping, Arrest Viral AK-47 Bandits
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has recorded significant successes in its ongoing fight against crime, foiling a midnight kidnapping attempt in Byazhin and arresting several high-profile suspects, including bandits who recently flaunted AK-47 rifles on social media.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit stormed a residential area near Paze Hills in Byazhin in the early hours of Thursday and disrupted armed men attempting to break into a building to abduct its occupants. A couple was rescued unharmed during the operation.
The victims expressed relief at the timely intervention by the police.
In a related development, the police arrested three suspected bandits who gained notoriety after appearing in viral social media videos brandishing AK-47 rifles while dressed in military camouflage. The suspects were tracked and apprehended in Runji village, Zuba. Items recovered from them include one AK-47 rifle, eight mobile phones, two jackknives, power banks, and several incriminating photographs and videos.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, who paraded the suspects before journalists, vowed continued aggressive action against criminal elements.
The Command also presented a suspect and his girlfriend over the alleged kidnapping and murder of 22-year-old Emmanuel Chukwuemeka. Police investigations revealed that the suspect lured the victim to a mountainous area in Lokogoma over a dispute involving fraudulent proceeds before allegedly killing him.
In another operation, security operatives arrested a wanted suspect linked to the supply of ammunition to bandits, terrorists, and kidnapping gangs operating in the North Central region and the FCT. Arms and ammunition were recovered during the operation.
Additionally, two suspected “one-chance” robbers were arrested after they allegedly attacked a female commuter along the Giri-Lugbe road.
The CP used the occasion to dismiss social media reports of a recent kidnapping at a school in Gbagalape, describing the claims as false and misleading.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command has begun strict enforcement against vehicles with unauthorised tinted glasses across the territory.
The breakthroughs come despite the rainy weather as officers continue to intensify patrols and intelligence-led operations to make the nation’s capital safer.
Crime
BREAKING: Gunmen Invade Ondo Community, Injure Several Residents, Abduct Pastor’s 9-Year-Old Son
Armed gunmen stormed a community in Ondo State on Friday, shooting indiscriminately, injuring multiple residents, and abducting the 9-year-old son of a local pastor before fleeing into the bush.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as the attackers invaded the area in the early hours, firing sporadically at residents. Several people sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment. The motive behind the invasion remains unclear, though sources suggest it may be linked to ongoing security challenges in parts of the state.
The most distressing aspect of the attack was the abduction of the young boy, identified as the son of a prominent pastor in the community. Family members and residents are said to be in shock, with the pastor appealing for the immediate and safe release of his child.
Security operatives have been deployed to the area to track down the gunmen and rescue the abducted child. A manhunt is currently underway, with local vigilantes and police collaborating in the search.
This incident adds to the growing concerns over kidnapping and violent crime in Ondo State and surrounding regions. Community leaders have called on the government to intensify security measures to protect vulnerable residents, especially children.
More updates will follow as the situation develops.
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