By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a container concealing components of more than 140 pump-action rifles and seized cannabis-infused products with a combined street value of ₦373.8 million at the Tincan Island Port Command in Lagos.
The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the seizures at a press briefing at the Tincan Island Port on Thursday, 6 August 2026, saying the operations formed part of the Service’s intensified efforts to prevent prohibited items from entering the country through legitimate trade channels.
According to Adeniyi, the container containing the suspected arms components arrived at the port aboard MV VELIKA on 8 July 2026 and was flagged for enhanced monitoring by the NCS intelligence-driven risk management system.
A thorough examination of the container subsequently uncovered concealed crates containing knocked-down components preliminarily identified as JoJeff pump-action rifles.
The CGC said investigations into the interception had led to the arrest of two suspects, while another principal suspect remained at large and was being actively tracked by security operatives.
In a separate operation, Customs officers intercepted two 40-foot containers carrying cannabis-infused products concealed alongside used vehicles, generators, batteries and other imported goods.
The seized consignments comprised 109 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused pre-roll cookies, 125 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused gummies and 73 cartons of cannabis-infused cookies.
The total street value of the cannabis-infused products was put at ₦373,802,640.
Adeniyi said the seizures demonstrated the increasing sophistication of transnational criminal networks seeking to exploit legitimate channels of trade to move prohibited weapons and narcotics into Nigeria.
He said the successful interceptions were also evidence of the effectiveness of the Customs Service’s intelligence-led enforcement strategy, advanced risk-profiling systems and collaboration with sister security agencies.
The CGC expressed concern that criminal elements could attempt to exploit Nigeria’s borders, ports and airports as the country approaches another major election cycle.
“We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this. We are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not allow them to do so,” he said.
Adeniyi also warned that the Service would not tolerate internal compromise, stressing that Customs personnel who collude with smugglers or facilitate the importation of items capable of threatening national security would face consequences.
“The Nigeria Customs Service will not harbour any of these people who want to serve as accomplices or use their position to influence the importation of goods that will threaten our peace and security and the peaceful conduct of the next general election,” he said.
He called on members of the public to provide credible information that could assist security agencies in detecting and disrupting smuggling activities and organised criminal networks.
The CGC commended officers of the Tincan Island Port Command and the Customs Enforcement Unit for their vigilance, professionalism and commitment to duty.
He reaffirmed the Service’s determination to identify, arrest and prosecute all persons connected to the criminal networks behind the seizures, while continuing to protect Nigeria’s borders and facilitate legitimate trade.
The latest interceptions underscore the critical role of intelligence gathering, risk profiling and inter-agency cooperation in preventing the movement of arms and illicit substances through Nigeria’s ports, particularly as the country prepares for another major election period.
No Comment! Be the first one.