The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a container laden with concealed components of pump-action rifles and seized cannabis-infused products with a combined street value of N373.8 million at the Tin Can Island Port Command.
The seizures, according to the Service, represent a major breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to disrupt arms trafficking, illicit drug trade and other forms of transnational organised crime.
Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi disclosed this on Thursday, August 6, 2026, during a press briefing at the command, commending the Tin Can Island Area Command and its Enforcement Unit for the intelligence-led operation.
Adeniyi said the seizures demonstrated the Service’s commitment to preventing the entry of prohibited goods capable of undermining national security and public health.
He disclosed that container No. TEMU 184536-9 arrived at the Tin Can Island Port aboard the vessel MV Velika on July 8, 2026, and was flagged by the Service’s intelligence-driven risk management system for enhanced monitoring.
Acting on credible intelligence, Customs officers placed the container under surveillance before subjecting it to a detailed physical examination at the Customs Enforcement Station.
The examination, he said, led to the discovery of concealed crates containing knockdown components of pump-action rifles.
The exact number of firearms involved is yet to be established, as technical examination and inventory of the recovered components are still ongoing.
The Comptroller-General said investigations into the seizure went beyond the physical interception, leading to the arrest of a key suspect on July 31, 2026, at a bonded terminal while allegedly attempting to facilitate the clearance of the container.
According to him, documentary evidence, financial records and telecommunication analysis established the suspect’s connection to the consignee named in the shipping documents.
Adeniyi said one of the pieces of evidence recovered was proof of a N10,000 payment made from a company account directly linked to the consignee.
He disclosed that two suspects are currently in Customs custody and assisting investigators, while another principal suspect remains at large and is being actively tracked.
The Comptroller-General praised the officers involved in the operation, particularly the Tin Can Island Command and its Enforcement Unit, for their vigilance, intelligence gathering and professional handling of the investigation.
He said the Service would continue to strengthen intelligence-led enforcement and inter-agency collaboration to prevent the movement of arms, illicit drugs and other prohibited items through Nigeria’s ports.