The Nigeria Customs Service has declared two of its senior officers wanted over the importation of 661 pump-action rifles into the country.
The wanted officers are Abdulahi I, an assistant superintendent of customs (ASC), with service number 44483 and ACIC Odiba Inah, with service number 133386. Four other customs officers have been arrested.
The large cache of arms enough to arm a battalion of soldiers was confiscated by the Nigerian Customs Service at the Lagos port. The importers had concealed the arms with steel doors and other merchandise good. Reports say the arms were imported from China.
An alert issued on Tuesday evening by the Deputy Comptroller General, Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Dan Ugo, requested that the officers should be arrested wherever they are seen and taken to the nearest customs formation.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, had on Monday said that the Federal Operations Unit, while on patrol, intercepted a Mark truck with registration number BUG 265 XG conveying a 40ft container with number; PONU/825914/3 along Mile 2 Apapa Road, Lagos.
The comptroller-general said the truck was immediately taken to F.O.U. premises for physical examination and 49 boxes containing 661 pieces of pump action rifles concealed with steel doors were revealed.
Ali said the rifles were under absolute prohibition, adding that its importation was illegal. “Such deadly contravention of the law is even more unacceptable considering the fragile security situation in some parts of the country.
“Already three suspects have been arrested in connection with this illegal importation,” the comptroller-general has said. The suspects are: Oscan Okafor (an importer), Mahmud Haruna (a clearing agent), and Sadique Mustapha (accompanying the consignment to its destination).
Ali said initially the consignment was said to have originated from Turkey, adding that there was a mix-up in the document which finally revealed that the consignment originated from China.
He said Customs officers who were involved in the clearance of the containers were in the custody of Comptroller Mahmud Haruna of FOU Zone “A’’.
Ali said the seizure underscored the determination of the service to enforce all laws relating to importation and exportation of goods into and out the country thereby contributing to the economy, security and well-being of the country.
The Customs boss revealed that preliminary investigation shows that the consignment went through clearance at the Lagos port but that all the officers behind the deal were undergoing interrogation while other suspects were in custody.
It is unknown how the cargo was successfully cleared from the seaport and also the final destination the arms were being taken to.
