Customs Uncover 399 Rifles, 535 Parts in Massive Tin Can Port Arms Haul

Customs Uncover 399 Rifles, 535 Parts in Massive Tin Can Port Arms Haul

The Nigeria Customs Service has completed the inventory of a major arms shipment intercepted at the Tin Can Island Port, revealing 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms and over 500 assorted rifle components concealed in a single container.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms and 535 assorted rifle parts following the detailed examination of a seized shipment at the Tin Can Island Port Command. The seizure, confirmed on Sunday, August 9, 2026, represents one of the largest arms interceptions at the port in recent years and has raised serious concerns about arms trafficking ahead of Nigeria’s next general elections. According to the Customs National Spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, the completion of the coupling and examination of the arms shipment revealed the full scale of the contraband. The container was initially discovered containing crates of knocked-down components, which were preliminarily identified as Jojef pump-action rifles. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had initially disclosed the interception of the container on Thursday, August 6, 2026, when only 140 rifles had been assembled. At that time, he warned that the total number had not yet been determined, and counting was still in progress.

Following the completion of the detailed examination, Customs officers uncovered a total of 399 fully assembled Jojef rifles, along with 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 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips, and five barrels. The additional 535 rifle parts recovered alongside the fully assembled weapons indicate that the shipment was designed to allow for the rapid assembly of even more firearms. The components were concealed in a 20-foot container with number TEMU-184536/9, which arrived at Tin Can Island Port on July 8, 2026, aboard the vessel MV Velika.

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Investigations into the arms shipment have led to the arrest of two suspects, while another principal suspect remains at large and is being actively pursued by law enforcement authorities. According to Adeniyi, one suspect was arrested on July 31, 2026, at the Migfo Bonded Terminal while attempting to facilitate the release of the container. Documentary evidence, financial records, and telecommunications analysis established links between the suspect and the consignee named on the shipping documents. This included a N10,000 payment received from a company account directly linked to the consignee on the day of his arrest.

The Customs Comptroller-General has linked the seizure to heightened security concerns ahead of Nigeria’s next general elections. Adeniyi warned that criminal networks could exploit the country’s borders, ports, and airports to move prohibited items into the country during this period. “We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this. We are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not allow them to do so,” Adeniyi stated. He further cautioned that smugglers might seek accomplices within the Customs Service and other security agencies, but assured Nigerians that the Service would not tolerate any form of complicity.

The Customs Service is working closely with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to dismantle arms-trafficking networks and safeguard national security. Following the completion of the inventory and assessment, the NCS is preparing to hand over the seized armaments to the NCCSALW. This handover is part of a coordinated inter-agency effort to ensure that the weapons are taken out of circulation permanently.

In a related operation, Customs officers intercepted two 40-foot containers laden with cannabis-infused products valued at approximately N373.8 million, which were concealed among legitimate imports at the same port. The illicit substances included 109 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused pre-roll cookies (8,720 pieces, 17.44kg) valued at N308.7 million; 125 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused gummies (740 packs, 515.2kg) valued at N40.7 million; and 73 cartons of cannabis-infused cookies (442 packs, 309.4kg) valued at N24.3 million. The NDLEA has cautioned parents to closely monitor their children’s consumption of cookies and gummies, warning that some products may contain illicit substances being smuggled into the country. Officials noted that the attractive packaging could appeal especially to children, students and young people, raising the risk of accidental consumption of concentrated cannabis.

Adeniyi reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, stronger border surveillance, and enhanced collaboration with sister security agencies to tackle arms trafficking and other forms of transnational crime. He commended the Controller of the Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Joseph Anani, and operatives of the Enforcement Unit for their vigilance and dedication. “These interceptions demonstrate the growing sophistication of transnational criminal networks that exploit legitimate trade channels to traffic illicit weapons and dangerous narcotic products. They also reaffirm our effectiveness — that of our intelligence-driven enforcement strategy, advanced risk profiling system and very strong inter-agency collaboration,” Adeniyi said. Investigations into both seizures are ongoing, with additional arrests and prosecutions expected as efforts continue to unravel the syndicates behind the illegal importations.

Customs Uncover 399 Rifles, 535 Parts in Massive Tin Can Port Arms Haul