By Seyi Babalola
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it intercepted 940 rounds of live ammunition during a special anti-smuggling operation near the border on Thursday.
Ahmadu Shuaibu, the command’s comptroller, stated this on Friday at a press conference where seized contraband with a duty-paid value of N557,120,828 were displayed before journalists.
Shuaibu stated that his officers had been tracking the ammo for more than two weeks in the neighboring Republic of Benin before it was smuggled into Nigeria.
The customs chief further disclosed that the smugglers had hidden the bullets within cassava flakes (gari) bags to deceive and beat border guards.
He further stated that during the raid, the suspects all abandoned the contraband and fled through the jungle route.
He said,” While on anti-smuggling operation along the border line, the Command operatives intercepted smuggled 940 rounds of live ammunition ingeniously concealed in sacks of cassava flakes, commonly known as garri in local parlance.
“The Command had been on its trail for more than 2 weeks, from the Republic of Benin, before it was eventually smuggled into the country.
“During the trail of the cartel, the received intel revealed the level of surveillance mounted and security beef-up by the unscrupulous elements, to safeguard the items and evade arrest. The superior security network of the Command eventually aided the seizure but lost the suspects, as the items were abandoned by the suspected smugglers who absconded in a bid to evade arrest.”
He, however, appealed to well-meaning Nigerians, to join forces with the Command in its fight against smuggling of harmful substances, light weapons, arms and ammunition.
The comptroller enumerated other seizures as, “ 123 sacks and 3,172 parcels of cannabis sativa, commonly known as Indian Hemp; 380 pieces of donkey skin; 304 bales of used clothes; and 910 cartons of frozen poultry products, among others.”
According to Shuaibu, these items were intercepted at the creeks, border lines and other strategic locations across the State.