By Benson Daniel
The Nigeria Customs Service has uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms and 535 assorted rifle components following the detailed examination of a shipment intercepted at the Tin Can Island Port Command in Lagos.
The seizure, confirmed by the Customs Service on Sunday, followed an earlier interception of a container containing crates of knocked down firearm components suspected to be Jojef pump action rifles. Following further examination and coupling of the components, Customs officials confirmed that the shipment contained 399 fully assembled firearms.
The recovered items included 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs and 80 charging handles. Other components found in the shipment were 39 pistol grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips and five barrels.
The development represents a major seizure by the Customs Service as authorities intensify efforts to prevent the movement of illicit arms through Nigeria’s ports and borders.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had earlier disclosed the interception of the container and warned that criminal networks could attempt to exploit Nigeria’s ports, borders and airports to move prohibited items into the country, particularly as the nation approaches another major election cycle.
Adeniyi said the Customs Service would strengthen intelligence led enforcement and border surveillance to prevent criminal groups from using legitimate trade channels to move weapons and other prohibited goods.
The latest discovery has also raised concerns over the continued attempts by criminal networks to exploit Nigeria’s maritime supply chain. Customs officials have emphasised the importance of intelligence gathering, cargo profiling and collaboration among security agencies in identifying suspicious shipments before they enter circulation.
Following the completion of the inventory and examination of the seized weapons, the Customs Service said arrangements were being made to hand over the firearms to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The planned handover is expected to ensure that the weapons are removed from circulation and handled in accordance with national security procedures.
The seizure also comes as security agencies continue to confront the proliferation of illegal firearms across the country. Authorities have repeatedly linked the availability of illicit weapons to violent crimes, including kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and communal conflicts.
The Customs Service said cooperation with other security and law enforcement agencies would remain critical to tracing the networks behind the shipment and bringing those responsible to justice.
The interception further highlights the importance of effective cargo inspection at Nigeria’s seaports, where thousands of containers enter the country through legitimate commercial channels every year.
For the government, preventing illegal arms trafficking remains both a security and economic priority, as the movement of prohibited weapons through the country’s ports can undermine national security and increase the risks faced by communities and businesses.
The Customs Service has consequently pledged to sustain intelligence based operations and strengthen surveillance across the nation’s entry points to prevent the illegal importation of firearms and other dangerous items.
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