The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Command has confirmed the interception of a container suspected to be laden with arms and ammunition.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Uche Ejesieme, confirmed the interception in a statement at the weekend.
According to Ejesieme, the container was intercepted last Friday in one of the port’s terminals during a routine examination.
“Following this development, the command intimated the terminal operators and requested that the suspected container be transferred to our enforcement unit for 100 per cent examination.
“This suffices that information is still sketch but we do hope that comprehensive information will be availed after the 100 per cent examination.
“Following, we will communicate officially to the Customs management as well our zonal coordinator in line with service protocol”, he said.
He, therefore, called for calm as the command tries to get critical information on which a report on the incident would be based.
The Tide learnt that the owner of the container reportedly said the consignment contained electronics but the suspicious Customs officials, upon close examination of the cartons, discovered that they were filled with guns.
Ejesieme had told newsmen last Friday that, “The Command wish to confirm very categorically that during routine examination at the terminal B2 (Vehicle) of the TICT on Friday, 17th December 2021, our operatives stumbled on a suspected container laden with arms and possibly ammunition.
“We quickly sealed it up and intimated the terminal operators to quickly move the container to our enforcement unit where we hope to conduct 100 per cent examination by Monday morning.
“The information is still very sketchy as we speak. By the time we conduct comprehensive information, we will be able to avail the media with the circumstances and possibly the suspects.
“We are going to do a comprehensive investigation into this with a view to unravelling the criminal gang behind this and continue to decimate and degrade them”.
The interception of the arms-laden container occurred days after the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, charged strategic police managers in the Nigeria Police Force to brace up to the anticipated internal security challenges that the year 2022 will present.
The IGP said the 2022 would be challenging because it precedes the 2023 general elections and the Force would be confronted with the management of threats associated with an active political space.