By Stephen Simon
The Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted another major consignment of illegal arms, seizing 204 pump-action rifles smuggled into the country from Turkey.
Briefing newsmen at the port on Monday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi—represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Investigation, and Inspection, Timi Bomodi—stated that the seizure underscores the Service’s commitment to intelligence-driven operations against illegal arms trafficking.
The latest interception comes on the heels of a major seizure in August 2026, when Customs officials intercepted knocked-down firearm parts that were subsequently assembled into 399 pump-action rifles and transferred to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
Detailing the latest operation, DCG Bomodi revealed that officers acted on credible intelligence regarding a 20-foot container shipped from Turkey aboard the vessel MV Algeciras Express, which arrived on August 16, 2026. The container was flagged and subjected to a 100 percent physical examination on August 18.
“After thorough examination, the container was found to contain knocked-down firearm components concealed among declared used goods, including furniture, refrigerators, solar panels, and detergent,” Bomodi stated, adding that investigators also uncovered major discrepancies in the consignment’s import documentation regarding the consignee’s identity.
Following the discovery, a joint technical team comprising specialists from the NCS Armament Unit and the NCCSALW (under the Office of the National Security Adviser) was assembled to process the seized parts.
The technical assembly yielded 204 units of MAS 49 ALTER MAGNUM pump-action rifles. In addition, officers recovered an assortment of spare components, including:
54 barrels, 56 trigger groups, 56 springs, and 56 pistol grips
58 locking lugs, 53 charging handles, and 55 pistol grip screws
38 forward grips (handguards) and 67 forward grip latches
39 trigger pins and 2 U-plates
Bomodi confirmed that the seized armaments have been fully documented and will be officially handed over to the NCCSALW for statutory action.
Reiterating the Comptroller-General’s warning to arms traffickers, Bomodi stressed that the Customs risk management architecture leaves no room for illicit concealments.
“Those who believe firearms can be disguised as household goods, concealed in containers, or imported through false documentation should understand that intelligence-led enforcement, technological tools, profiling, and inter-agency collaboration are making such schemes increasingly impossible to execute,” he warned.
