The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a major arms haul in Ogun State, seizing 1,433 live cartridges and five Dane guns during separate operations across the state.
Comptroller Godwin Otunla, who heads the Ogun 1 Area Command, revealed the development on Wednesday, June 18, while handing the weapons over to the Nigeria Police Force in Idiroko.
“In line with inter-agency synergy and national protocol, the Ogun 1 Area Command will be handing over the seized arms and ammunition to the Nigerian Police Force, Ogun State Command, for further investigation,” Otunla said.
He explained that the seizures were part of a broader clampdown on smuggling and illegal arms trafficking, made possible through enhanced surveillance, intelligence gathering, and joint efforts with other security agencies.
“These achievements were made under the visionary leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi,” he added.
But the arms seizure was only part of a bigger picture.
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Otunla disclosed that Customs operatives also recovered 1,037 parcels of cannabis, 13,125 litres of petrol, two more Dane guns, 88 rounds of live cartridges, and 2,627 bags of foreign parboiled rice.
They also impounded four used foreign vehicles, seven smuggling vehicles, and 29 bundles of used tyres, bringing the total duty-paid value of all the items to over ₦344.8 million.
According to him, the seizures were made in different parts of the state, including the Lusada/Ado-Odo axis, Able Kazeem/Igbo-Ora Road, Abeokuta, Imeko, Idiroko/Owode, and Ipokia.
Otunla raised concern about the growing number of arms and drug-related seizures, warning of their impact on young people, public health, and national security.
Responding on behalf of the Nigeria Police, Area Commander Bukoye Oye praised the Customs team for the operation.
“The Police will do the needful by conducting the necessary investigation,” Oye said, assuring that the force would continue working closely with Customs and other agencies to keep the country safe.