Again, Customs impounds 475 rifles from the same importer

Barely a week after it intercepted a 20-foot container load of 1,100 pump action rifles, the Tin Can Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service, Monday, uncovered yet another set of 475 rifles shipped in by the same importer. 

Vanguard gathered that the guns were discovered after the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Bashir Yussuf, ordered a detailed profiling of the importer of the 1,100 rifles intercepted last week. 

The container, belonging to the same importer, with marked CMAU189817/8. This is the fourth seizure at Tin Can Island Port  within eight months. Recall that Customs arrested four persons but disclosed only two to the press. One of those arrested is said to be a senior staff of Tin Can Island Container Terminal, TICT.

A source, who witnessed the examination of the container, told Vanguard that the rifles were concealed with small connecting pipes.

The source said: “The container is owned by the same importer of the 1,100 guns. After a detailed profiling of the importer ordered by the Area Controller, it was discovered that he still has another container inside the port; so they fished it out.

“But I don’t know why they are hiding the identity of the importer.. It could even be the government themselves importing these weapons.”

- Vanguard