Massive Firepower Seized: Customs Intercepts 399 Rifles at Lagos Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has achieved a significant breakthrough against illegal arms proliferation, announcing the complete coupling and detailed examination of a massive arms seizure at the Tincan Island Port Command. This operation uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms, accompanied by a substantial assortment of supplementary rifle parts. Abdullah Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, declared on Sunday, August 9, 2026, that this development represents a major blow to efforts to illegally arm individuals and groups within the country.

This significant interception follows an earlier disclosure by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, on Thursday, August 6, 2026. At that time, Adeniyi had revealed that Customs operatives had initially intercepted a container found to contain concealed crates of knocked-down components, which were preliminarily identified as Jojef pump-action rifles. The subsequent detailed examination confirmed the scale of the illicit consignment.

Among the critical additional rifle parts recovered were 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs, 80 charging handles, 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips/handguards, four pistol grips, and five barrels. These components indicate a deliberate and extensive attempt to import numerous firearms into the country.

CGC Adeniyi had previously issued a strong warning regarding the potential for criminal networks to exploit Nigeria's borders, ports, and airports. He cautioned that such activities could intensify ahead of the upcoming general elections, with criminals seeking to move prohibited items into the country. In response, he assured Nigerians of the Service's unwavering commitment to intensifying surveillance and enforcement operations to thwart any such attempts. He specifically stated, "We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this. We are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not allow them to do so."

Reaffirming the NCS's dedication to maintaining national security, Adeniyi highlighted the Service's commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, robust border surveillance, and strengthened collaboration with sister security agencies. These collaborations include working closely with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The collective goal is to effectively identify and dismantle trafficking networks, safeguard national security interests, and ensure the facilitation of legitimate trade.

Following the thorough inventory and assessment of the illicit shipment, the CGC reiterated that the NCS is preparing to formally hand over the seized armaments to the NCCSALW. This action underscores a unified inter-agency commitment to the critical objective of removing dangerous weapons entirely from the streets and diligently tracking down and bringing to justice all individuals involved in this significant arms trafficking network.