The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Area 1 Command, Ogun State has launched manhunt for illegal traffickers and intercepted 975 ammunitions concealed in five bags of rice.
Acting Area Controller, Mr Ahmadu Shuaibu said on Wednesday in Idiroko, Ogun that the exhibits were seized along the palace/Ayetoro road in Imeko Afon Local Government of the state.
He disclosed that the items were intercepted on November 27, based on intelligence report received by the command.
This, he said prompted them to deploy officials to confront those involved in bringing the ammunition into the country.
Shuaibu noted that the NCS has been constantly monitoring the activities of smugglers involved in trafficking live ammunition for about a week prior to the seizure.
The controller said that intelligence report indicated that the 975 rounds of red stars cartridges, were concealed in five bags of rice and hidden in a bush path.
He informed that the operatives went to the spot and evacuated the five bags of rice without any encounter.
The customs boss hinted that the bags of rice caught their attention due to the unusual threading and sewing of the sacks.
Upon further examination at the border station, the bags were found to contain approximately 975 rounds of red star live cartridges concealed within them.
But Shuaibu maintained that the NCS is intensifying efforts to track down the perpetrators behind the criminal act and ensure that they face justice.
“We recognise the potential danger of arms and ammunition trafficking which is life-threatening and we shall not renege in our efforts to combat smuggling activities in its entirety, ” he added.
The AC pointed out that unchecked smuggling of arms and ammunition empowers the criminal organisations to escalate crisis and compromise national security.
He assured that the command would not relent in waging war against smuggling of unlawful arms and ammunition in order to build a safe and stable nation.
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