The PTML Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over one Emmanuel Eko to the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) for illegal importation of military wares.
The command had last Wednesday during a routine physical examination by operatives of the command discovered some army uniforms, bullet proof jackets, beret, boot, bags and helmet in a Volkswagen vehicle and subsequently arrested the importer, Eko.
Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Folorunsho Adegoke said the suspect who claimed to be serving in the British Army but came to Nigeria “to sort out some military issue” did not seek required authorization from the office of the National Security before importing the military wears.
Addressing journalists on Friday at the formal handover to the military, Adegoke said the suspect was handed over to the military because the State Security Service (SSS) officials whom it initially handed over the suspect to said it was not within their purview to properly investigate the case as it relates to the military.
The suspect who initially said he brought the items into the country on the request of some serving Nigerian Army operatives whom he said would eventually come forward to claim same has however did a volte face and denied the statement.
“I did not import these military wears but chairs. They (customs) broke into my vehicle. I came into Lagos last Wednesday and the information they gave to me is that they found four military camouflage inside my vehicle and the vehicle was cleared and released on Wednesday by Assistant Controller Isa and on Friday when I came here, the vehicle was already leaving the gate but they said they were going to search the vehicle because they found some uniform inside but when I came back on Saturday morning, the vehicle was already broken into,” he said.
Representative of DMI, Lieutanant Y.M Gana who received the military wares said the matter will be properly investigated.
SHIPS & PORTS DAILY recalls that the Comptroller of Area 2 Command, Onne Port of the Nigeria Customs Services, Alhaji Muhammed Magaji, last week said that the Command intercepted about 240 numbers of Army camouflage uniforms and 24 pairs of boots at Onne Port.
Magaji, who displayed the intercepted items to journalists at Onne, last Wednesday, said the military uniforms and boots which were mixed up with other items in a container with registration number 8228311 were discovered during routine examinations and checks by men of the Command.
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