Customs Intercepts 5,200 Live Ammunitions, Other Contraband Items In Imo

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted over five thousand live ammunitions and various other contraband items valued at over N300 million between November 23to December 27, 2020.

The NCS said the items which included cartridges of 30GR 70mm Calibre were seized by its Federal Operations Unit (Zone ‘C’) in Owerri, Imo State.

Controller of the unit, Yusuf Lawal, who made the revelation on Thursday in the Imo State Capital, expressed worries over the increase in arms and ammunition smuggling into the country in recent times.

Lawal made reference to the interceptions in Lagos in 2017, Kwara in 2018 and just recently in Kebi, on different routes.

He said the 5,200 live ammunitions intercepted in Owerri on December 13, 2020 were concealed in other goods and household items in a passenger vehicle.

Lawal said, “Only God knows what would have happened if these cartridges got to its destination unchecked, considering the fragile security of the Nation: from Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, banditry to insurgency”.

He added that the seized ammunitions fall under schedule 4 of the Common External Tariff, which is absolutely prohibited.