The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over the 661 pump action rifles it seized in Lagos in January to the Department of State Security (DSS) for further investigation.
The pump action guns, laden in a Mack truck with registration number BDG 265 XG were concealed in a 40-feet container. They were concealed with steel doors and other merchandise but were intercepted along Mile 2 Apapa by operatives of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’ Ikeja shortly after clearance at the port.
A statement issued by the FOU Public Relations Officer, Jerry Attah at the weekend stated that two out of the three suspects who were arrested in connection with the arms importation, Oscan Okafor (the importer) and Mahmud Hassan (clearing agent) have also been handed over to the DSS.
Journalists who were initially invited to witness the handing over of the seized arms were however barred from covering the event by operatives of the DSS.
The reporters were asked to leave the FOU premises while the DSS operatives took inventory of the arms.
Representative of the Comptroller General of Customs, Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Dan Ugo who handed over the rifles and the two suspects to the Director-General, Department of State Security, Lawal Daura who was represented by the Lagos State Director of the service, Betty Adoki, called on well meaning Nigerians to support the DSS with necessary information that could assist Customs perform its statutory responsibilities better.
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