The Federal Operations Unit Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted arms, ammunition, and industrial drones valued at ₦377 million in a major operation, leading to the arrest of one suspect.
The unit’s Comptroller, Mohammed Shuaibu, said the items were seized during different operations carried out in Ogun and Ondo states.
According to him, officers intercepted a Nissan Almera along bush paths near Ilara, Ogun State, carrying 15 rifles, including 14 Italian-made JOJEF Magnum semi-automatic rifles and a U.S.-made Mossberg pump-action shotgun with serial number P256630.
The rifles were hidden in bales of second-hand clothes and boxes of locally sold spaghetti. Also recovered were 4,841 rounds of live ammunition.
In another operation on August 9 along the Akure–Ore road in Ondo State, customs officers stopped a Volkswagen Sprinter bus carrying two industrial drones hidden in a wooden crate without proper documentation. One suspect was arrested during the operation.
“These seizures demonstrate the Nigeria Customs Service’s unwavering commitment to combating smuggling and securing the nation’s borders from the activities of non-state actors,” Shuaibu said while briefing journalists in Lagos.
He explained that the seized drones lacked the End User Certificate from the Office of the National Security Adviser, a requirement for importing such high-grade equipment.
Shuaibu added that the seized items would be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for further investigation and prosecution.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, stressing that intelligence from the public is vital to curbing the illegal trade of weapons and equipment across the country.
