The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday handed over 204 pump-action rifles seized at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The handover comes days after the Customs Service announced the separate interception of 399 rifles at the same port, highlighting intensified efforts by security agencies to prevent the illegal importation and circulation of firearms in the country.
According to the NCS, the 204 rifles were assembled from knocked-down firearm components concealed in a 20-foot container that arrived from Turkey aboard the MV Algeciras Express on August 16. The container, numbered TEMU 184536/9, was flagged following credible intelligence and subjected to a full physical examination on August 18.
Customs officials said the firearm components were hidden among declared used goods, including furniture, refrigerators, solar panels and detergent. The seizure and subsequent handover form part of ongoing efforts by government agencies to curb arms trafficking and strengthen national security.
