The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) successfully recovered 399 completed Jojef firearms along with a wide array of rifle components following a thorough inspection of a shipment at the Tin Can Island Port. Abdullahi Maiwada, the service’s national spokesperson, confirmed the seizure in Abuja on Sunday. The arms were originally hidden inside a container as disassembled parts before being fully assembled by Customs officials for verification.
Bashir Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the NCS, stated that the shipment included 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 handguards, four pistol grips, and five barrels. Adeniyi expressed concern that criminal syndicates might attempt to exploit national entry points to move contraband during the upcoming election cycle.
To combat this, the NCS plans to heighten surveillance and enforcement efforts. Adeniyi highlighted that the service is working closely with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) to dismantle smuggling networks. Once the inventory process concludes, the confiscated weapons will be turned over to the NCCSALW to ensure they are removed from circulation and to assist in the prosecution of those responsible for the trafficking attempt.
