By Our Correspondent
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted 10,598 arms and 114.929 ammunition worth N9.58 billion in the last six years, TheNewsZenith reports.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, announced the cumulative seizures during a press conference, on Wednesday, in Lagos.
According to Adeniyi, NCS made the seizures during enforcement activities in zone A of the service.
The CGC said that 60 per cent of the seizures occurred within 2023, highlighting the intensification of efforts by the NCS to nip the importation of arms into the country in the bud.
“The scale and sophistication of these illicit activities are alarming.
“Since 2018, NCS has intercepted 20 significant shipments, comprising 10,498 arms and 114,929 ammunition, with an estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N9.58 billion.
“Notably, 60 per cent of these seizures occurred within the past year alone.
“This recent surge accounts for 34.67 per cent of the total DPV, and 20.58 per cent of the arms seized.
“And, we intercepted a staggering 99.62 per cent of the ammunition over the six years,” TheNewsZenith quotes Adeniyi as saying.
He said the statistics highlighted the Customs’ intensified efforts and the evolving smugglers’ tactics in an attempt to breach the borders.
“In response to this escalating threat, we’ve declared a state of emergency, This led to significant seizures of restricted goods, including pharmaceuticals and medicaments.
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“The intricate connections between these smuggling activities and networks facilitating them are now the primary focus of our strategic operations. These include Operation Whirlwind and Operation Swift Sting.
“These, among other initiatives, represent the multifaceted approach that helped to fortify NCS operations and safeguard Nigeria’s health and security interests,” the CGC said.
In a related development, the CGC said NCS made the single largest seizure of pangolin scales since 2020.
Adeniyi said the seizure was in collaboration with the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), in Kano, Kaduna and Lagos states.
“On Aug. 8, the Customs Service, in collaboration with WJC, conducted a joint enforcement operation resulting in the seizure of 9,493 kg of pangolin scales.
“This operation, carried out in two separate locations, represents the largest seizure of pangolin scales globally since 2020.
“The Kano and Kaduna operations yielded 2,293 tons of pangolin scales and led to two arrests.
“In Lagos, the operation resulted in the seizure of 7.2 tons of pangolin scales and two additional arrests,” CGC said.
TheNewsZenith quotes him as also saying that NCS arrested four persons in connection with the operations.
He said that these seizures brought the total amount of pangolin scales intercepted to nearly 20 tons since 2021. This represented the loss of over 30,000 pangolin species.
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