The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms and assorted rifle parts following a detailed examination of a seized shipment at the Tin Can Island Port Command.
National Spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada confirmed the seizure in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, noting that the cache was discovered after Customs officials completed the coupling and examination of consignments initially declared as knocked-down components concealed within a container.
Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi, who had earlier announced the interception of the container, revealed that additional rifle parts recovered included 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs, 80 charging handles, 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips, four pistol grips, and five barrels.
Adeniyi warned that criminal networks could exploit Nigeria’s borders, ports, and airports to smuggle prohibited items ahead of the next general elections. “We are about entering a major election cycle, and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this,” he stated.
He reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, stronger border surveillance, and collaboration with sister security agencies to dismantle arms-trafficking networks. He particularly cited cooperation with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), under the Office of the National Security Adviser, as critical to safeguarding national security.
Following the completion of inventory and assessment, the seized firearms will be handed over to the NCCSALW. The Comptroller-General said the development underscored the resolve of security agencies to remove dangerous weapons from circulation and ensure that those behind the trafficking network are identified and brought to justice.