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Customs hands over 1,599 seized arms, ammunition in Lagos to NSA Office

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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.

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JUST IN: Kogi jailbreak: 3 fleeing inmates nabbed as Correctional Service confirms killing of officer

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Three of the 12 inmates who escaped during a jail break at Koton Karfe correctional centre in Kogi State have been rearrested.

The Acting Controller General, Nigeria Correctional Service, Sly Nwakuche disclosed this during a press briefing on Monday at the Koton Karfe correctional centre.

He regretted that one of the officers of the correctional service was killed by the escaped prison inmates.

Nwakuche vowed that the remaining escapee will be apprehended.

He called on the general public to provide security agencies with all the needed information that will lead to the arrest of all the prison inmates who escaped from custody.

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Kotonkarfe Jailbreak: Kogi Govt Vows to Unravel Mystery, Apprehend Masterminds

Officials have confirmed that one of the escapees has already been rearrested and is providing valuable information to law enforcement.

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Kogi State Government has vowed to work with security agencies to uncover the circumstances surrounding an early morning jailbreak at the Federal Correctional Center in Kotonkarfe, where 12 inmates escaped.

Officials have confirmed that one of the escapees has already been rearrested and is providing valuable information to law enforcement.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, described the incident as “unfortunate” and assured citizens that the government is taking decisive steps to prevent a recurrence.

“The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns.

This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” Fanwo said.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed the State Security Adviser to collaborate with the Federal Correctional Center and other security agencies to ensure such security breaches do not happen again.

The state government has also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting federal security agencies through logistics and other necessary resources to enhance their operational effectiveness.

Fanwo commended the swift response of security agencies in handling the situation and urged residents to remain vigilant.

“We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harboring an escaped inmate will be held accountable,” he warned.

While investigations continue, the government has assured residents that the situation is under control.

“There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority,” Fanwo added.

Security agencies are intensifying efforts to track down the remaining escapees, and authorities have promised to provide updates as the situation unfolds.

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JUST IN: Gunmen abduct DHQ official, two others in Abuja, demand N100m ransom

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Gunmen have abducted a Nigerian Navy officer attached to the Defence Headquarters, Lt. Cynthia Akor, along with two others in Abuja.

The victims were kidnapped from their residence in the Mpape area of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday night.

A resident in the area said the kidnappers have contacted the families of the hostages, demanding a ransom of N100 million for their release.

“Among the three people that were kidnapped on Friday night in the Mpape area is a DHQ official, Akor.

“The kidnappers have already reached out to their families and are demanding N100m ransom,” the resident said.

Efforts to reach the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Markus Kangye, and the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau, were unsuccessful, as they had yet to respond to messages as of the time of filing this report.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said she would confirm the incident and provide further details.

“I will confirm and get back to you shortly,” she simply stated.

She has not reverted as of the time of filing this report.

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