The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has announced that the extensive collection of arms and ammunition seized by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) will undergo destruction once the necessary documentation procedures are completed.
The centre confirmed that it has received the seized weapons from the NCS and has taken custody of them.
Persecondnews recalls that in a recent raid, the NCS uncovered a clandestine shipment of weaponry in a 40-foot container at Port Harcourt.
The container, disguised as a cargo of innocuous goods like doors, furniture, plumbing fixtures, and leather bags, was found to contain a staggering 844 rifles and 112,500 live rounds of ammunition, expertly hidden among the legitimate items.
According to reports, the seized container, valued at N4 billion in duty-paid worth, had its origin traced back to Turkey.
On Monday, Group Captain Pius Okwuego, Director of Strategic Communications and Information at the centre, issued a statement confirming that the formal handover of the confiscated weapons took place in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State.
The statement said: “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.
“This transfer is a significant step in the collaborative efforts between national security agencies to safeguard Nigeria’s borders and public safety.”
According to Okwuego, the National Coordinator of the Centre, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Johnson Kokumo, emphasized that the seized weapons would be destroyed to ensure they do not fall into the wrong hands and pose a danger to the community.
“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.
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