By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef rifles in a seized shipment at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
A statement on Sunday says Customs completed the coupling and detailed examination of the shipment on Sunday, August 9, 2026, following the interception of a container carrying concealed crates of knocked-down rifle components.
The statement signed by Customs Spokesperson, Abdulahi Maiwada, said the development was first disclosed by Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, on Thursday, August 6.
He said beyond the 399 assembled firearms, Customs recovered 89 frames, 80 charging handles, 57 trigger groups, 45 foregrips or handguards and 39 pistol-grip screws.
Other items found include 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs, 34 springs, four pistol grips and five barrels.
Adeniyi warned that criminal networks could attempt to exploit Nigeria’s borders, ports and airports to move prohibited items into the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the Customs Service would strengthen surveillance and enforcement to prevent the movement of illegal arms and other prohibited items.
The warning places the seizure within a wider security concern over the possible movement of weapons into Nigeria as the country approaches another election cycle.
The seized weapons are expected to be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
The move is part of an inter-agency effort to remove illicit weapons from circulation and prevent them from reaching criminal networks.
Adeniyi also said the service would work with sister security agencies to identify and dismantle the network behind the shipment.
He reaffirmed the NCS commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, stronger border surveillance and inter-agency collaboration to combat arms trafficking while facilitating legitimate trade.
