The Nigeria Customs Service on Monday handed over 204 pump-action rifles seized at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, days after the service announced a separate interception of 399 rifles at the same port.
The rifles were assembled from knocked-down firearm components concealed in a 20-foot container that arrived from Turkey aboard the MV Algeciras Express on August 16.
The container, numbered TEMU 184536/9, was flagged based on credible intelligence and subjected to full physical examination on August 18. Customs said the firearm components were concealed among declared used goods, including furniture, refrigerators, solar panels and detergent.
Timi Bomodi, deputy comptroller-general of customs in charge of enforcement, investigation and inspection, who represented Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi at the handover, said discrepancies were also found in the shipment documents, particularly concerning the identity of the consignee.
He said the documentation issues were part of an ongoing investigation into the shipment and the people connected to it.
