By Kamil Opeyemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun Area 1 Command, has narrated how its operatives caught up with some suspects with five bags containing ammunitions numbering 975.
The Customs said the ammunitions were concealed in five bags of rice before they were intercepted along the palace/Ayetoro road in Imeko Afon Local Government of the state.
Acting Area Controller, Mr. Ahmadu Shuaibu, who spoke with journalists on Wednesday at Idiroko, said the seizure made on November 27 was based on intelligence report received by the command.
Shuaibu said the intelligence prompted operatives to deploy officials to confront those involved in bringing the ammunition into the country.
He said the NCS had been actively monitoring the activities of smugglers involved in trafficking live ammunition for about a week prior to the seizure.
The controller added that intelligence report indicated that the ammunition, specifically 975 rounds of red stars cartridges, was concealed in five bags of rice and hidden away in a bush path.
According to him, the operatives went to the spot and evacuated the five bags of rice without any encounter.
The Customs boss said that the bags of rice caught their attention due to the unusual threading and sewing of the sacks, arousing suspicion.
Upon further examination at the border station, he said that the bags were found to contain approximately 975 rounds of red star live cartridges concealed within them.
He explained that the NCS was intensifying efforts to track down the perpetrators behind this criminal act and ensure they face justice.
“We recognise the potential danger of arms and ammunition trafficking which is life-threatening and we shall not renege in our efforts to combat smuggling activities in its entirety, ” he added.
Shuaibu noted that the consequences of unchecked smuggling of arms and ammunition are severe, ranging from the empowerment of criminal organisations to escalating crisis and compromise of national security.
He said that for these reasons, we will not relent nor compromise waging war against smuggling of unlawful arms and ammunition in building a safe and stable nation.