Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun 1 Area Command, have intercepted 975 rounds of Red Star live cartridges stashed in five bags of rice along the Palace-Ayetoro Road in Ogun state’s Imeko Afon Local Government Area.
The seizure was alleged to have occurred on Monday as a result of an intelligence report, and some officials were deployed to confront the suspects who were carrying the illicit ammunition into the nation.
This was revealed by the acting Customs Area Controller, Ogun Area 1 Command, Deputy Comptroller Amadu Shuaibu, during a press conference in Idiroko on Wednesday.
Shuaibu said customs operatives had been looking for the smugglers for nearly a week before apprehending them about 5 a.m. on Monday.
Shaibu said, “On Monday, November 27, 2023, our operatives went on an intelligence-based operation to unravel the antics deployed by unscrupulous elements to bring in live ammunition through the Imeko axis of the state.
“We got intelligence that the five bags of foreign parboiled rice containing live cartridges of red star ammunition had been carefully hidden in a bushpath along the Palace-Ayetoro Road, Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State. Our operatives went to the spot and evacuated the five bags of rice without any encounter.
“The bags of rice were suspected because of the unusual threading and sewing of the sacks. This aroused the suspicion of our operatives, leading to their opening for proper examination at the border station.
“During the examination, about 975 rounds of Red Star live cartridges were found to have been ingeniously concealed in the bags. We have intensified our efforts at tracking down the perpetrators of this nefarious act so they can be brought to justice.
“We recognize the potential danger of arms and ammunition trafficking, which is life-threatening. We shall not relent on our efforts in combating smuggling.”
