Court Fixes Date To Inspect Smuggled 1570 Pump Action Guns
Hassan who is in charge of the Customs Warehouse, Ikeja, Lagos said on 100 percent examination of the first container, it contains among others, 1,100 Pump Action Rifles concealed with sanitary wares like washing hand basins , while the second container contained 470 Pump Action Rifles concealed with Plumbing materials.
Ayodele said his team then requested for a letter to be made to the Terminal Manager to provide logistics to transfer the container to the Enforcement Unit. Added that the container was subsequently transferred same day at about 6 p.m necessitating the shifting of the 100 percent examination till the next day.
The witness further stated that during examination, the entire content of the container was off loaded and stocks taken while the serial numbers of each of the rifles were taken.
Ayodele said that after the discovery of the arms-laden container, the Customs observed a trend of containers coming in from Turkey and that this necessitate the Area Comptroller of Customs directing his men to be on top alert by ensuring that the manifest of all cargoes from Turkey are properly scrutinised.
The witness said that while keep watching of cargoes coming from Turkey, another container bearing the name of the first consignee , Great James Oil Gas Limited was also discovered. He said the country of the two containers was Turkey, adding that while the first container contained 1,100 Pump Action Rifles, the second container contained 470 Pump Action Rifles.
Ayodele added that after counting and taking stocks of the items in the containers with the serial numbers of the rifles written, the Area Comptroller directed that the two containers be handed over to the Federal Operation Unit (FOU) of the Nigerian Customs Service, Ikeja, Lagos, where the items in the containers were recounted and the serial numbers of the rifles re-confirmed and a handing over and taking over letter was signed.
The Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) through the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had earlier arraigned three men and a company before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly importing 1,570 pump action rifles into the country illegally.
The offences, according the prosecutor, Julius Ajakaiye, a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, are contrary to and punishable under Sections 3(6), 1(14)(a), 1(14)(a)(i), 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The prosecutor said the defendants conspired among themselves between September 6 to 20, 2017, illegally and unlawfully imported a total of 1, 570 pump action rifles into Nigeria, through Apapa Seaport, Lagos.
He also told the court that the accused loaded the said 1,570 pump action rifles in two 1× 20 feet containers marked GESU 2555208 and CMAU 1878178.