Nigerian customs agents have intercepted over 800 rifles and 100,000 rounds of ammunition concealed in a shipping container, highlighting the country’s battle against firearm trafficking amidst rising crime.
Customs Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi disclosed on Monday that the weapons were discovered on June 21, hidden among furniture and other items loaded from Turkey. The seizure included various rifle models and ammunition.
“We have apprehended three suspects with a detention warrant from a competent court,” Adeniyi informed reporters, noting that investigations were underway.
The rifles and ammunition will be transferred to Nigeria’s security adviser’s office for further scrutiny and legal proceedings, Adeniyi added.
In a separate operation on June 29, customs officials also seized more than a million bottles of codeine cough syrup and millions of prescription painkiller tablets. Opioid abuse is rampant in Nigeria, with traffickers frequently smuggling codeine cough syrup.
Adeniyi remarked that the containers carrying the medicines were falsely declared to evade customs duties and import restrictions.
