Customs Impounds Arms, Military Wears At Lagos Port
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – With an exposé of huge sleaze and corruption currently dotting the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS)’s operations nationwide, some cheering news has come that the tiny can Island Command of the Service has intercepted a cache of arms and ammunition allegedly smuggled into the country.
Among the items intercepted from the contrabandist are military camouflage, cartridges and illicit drugs such as Colorado and heroine.
Others listed as items smuggled by the ‘criminal cliques’ are arms of different made, which include automatic single barrel rifles and pump action guns.
With details of the interception still sketchy as at press time, inside sources hinted that the arms were recovered during an inspection of consignments imported into the country by certain persons impersonating as so-called genuine importers.
However, the sources, which did not confirm if arrests have been made, said there are worries that given with the hush hush tones the matter is being handled, it would not be surprising that there are some high level connections and involvement in the case.
Forefront News usually reliable sources further noted that the development comes about eight months after the Service impounded about 31 different types of arms and other dangerous items at Tin-Can and Multi-Purpose Terminals (PTML) ports in Lagos.
It was gathered that despite the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, confirming to the media that two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure, nothing has been heard about the case again.
The insider said such occurrences are no longer news because of the involvement of top ranking public officers, high profiled individuals and politically-exposed persons in the smuggling business.
“To tell you the truth, developments within the Nigerian Customs Service over the years have made mockery of the ‘Justice and Honesty’ moto inscribed on its logo”, our insider source lamented.
