We’re blocking illicit importation of arms into Nigeria – NCS

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has continued to engage member-countries of World Customs Organisation (WCO) on tackling the menace of importation of illicit arms and ammunition into Nigeria.Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer of NCS, disclosed this at a news conference organised by the Strategic Communication Inter-agency Policy Committee (SCIPC) in Abuja on Thursday.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) set up the committee, while the conference is hosted by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).SCIPC is a committee of the spokespersons of the military, police, intelligence and response agencies.Maiwada said the NCS Comptroller-General had promised to resuscitate the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and the Turkey Customs Administration.The MoU was on how to curtail the menace of smuggling of small arms and light weapons into Nigeria.Maiwada also said the NCS had recently signed an MoU with General Ad ministration of China Customs, adding that most of the drugs they intercepted came from India.'We are working towards having what is called Customs-to-Customs Cooperation, between those of us that are within the WCO.'Customs-to-Customs cooperation is part of the strategy to ensure trade facilitation and cut illicit trade.'So, we are working together with those Customs administration, and at the higher level, there will also be diplomatic engagement which is above us now,' he said.NAN reports that the NCS recently intercepted nine containers carrying offensive items, including arms, ammunition and illicit drugs at the Onne Port in Rivers.Also, a 40-feet container carrying a total of 844 units of assorted rifles, 112,500 pieces of live ammunition, among other contraband, were intercepted.According to the NCS, the intercepted containers, laden with rifles and ammunition have a duty-paid value of more than N4 billion.Source: News Agency of Nigeria