The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has completed the detailed examination and coupling of a seized arms shipment at the Tin Can Island Port Command in Lagos, uncovering 399 fully assembled Jojef rifles and hundreds of additional firearm components.
The latest discovery was made on Sunday, August 9, 2026, following the completion of the inventory and examination of the container earlier intercepted by Customs operatives.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, had on Thursday, August 6, disclosed the seizure of a container concealing crates of knocked down firearm components suspected to be parts of Jojef pump action rifles.
The subsequent coupling exercise enabled Customs officials to establish the quantity of complete firearms concealed in the shipment, bringing the number of assembled rifles recovered to 399.
Beyond the rifles, the consignment contained 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs and 80 charging handles, among other components.
Other items recovered included 39 pistol grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips and five barrels.
Adeniyi warned that criminal elements could attempt to exploit Nigeria’s borders, seaports and airports to move prohibited items into the country, particularly as the nation approaches another major electoral cycle.
The Customs chief said the Service would intensify intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement operations to prevent the movement of illegal arms and other prohibited goods through the nation’s entry points.
He also reaffirmed the NCS commitment to strengthening collaboration with sister security agencies, particularly the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the Office of the National Security Adviser, to identify and dismantle arms trafficking networks.
Following the completion of the examination and documentation, Customs said arrangements were being made to hand over the seized firearms and components to the NCCSALW. The development, the Service said, underscores the importance of interagency cooperation in keeping illicit weapons off the streets and ensuring that those behind the shipment are identified and prosecuted.