…Intercepts N29m ammunition, contraband

The Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) of the Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday said it intercepted 550 live ammunition hidden in a commercial bus. The coordinator of the JBPT for North Central, Comptroller Olugbenga Peters, while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin on the development, said the seizures were made in the Benue axis based on […]

The Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) of the Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday said it intercepted 550 live ammunition hidden in a commercial bus.

The coordinator of the JBPT for North Central, Comptroller Olugbenga Peters, while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin on the development, said the seizures were made in the Benue axis based on intelligence reports.

He said the large seizure heading to Taraba State is coming on the backdrop of the heightened insecurity in the country. 

According to him, following a search on the vehicle, two black BagCo sacks containing pump-action cartridges suspected to be smuggled into the country, were found in 22 packs of 25 pieces each.

“The ammunition, driver and the suspect were immediately arrested and brought to Sector 3 Headquarters, Ilorin, Kwara State.

“But after preliminary investigation, as the law of jurisdiction demands, they were handed over to the Nigeria Police, Benue State, for further investigation,” he added.

He said the consequence would have been devastating had the 550 cartridges gotten into the country and fallen into the wrong hands.

Comptroller Olugbenga also said the sector has recorded 49 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N29,273,300 of contraband in the last five months.

He listed the items to include 31,273 litres of petrol in 1,251 jerrycans, 751 bags of foreign parboiled rice, nine used vehicles, seven bales of secondhand clothing, and one motorcycle used as a means of surveillance and conveyance of petrol by the smugglers.