Arms influx: Customs interceptions commendable — NCMDLCA

By Efe Onodjae

The National President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its recent interception of consignments of pump-action rifles allegedly imported from Turkey.

Amiwero, who spoke against the backdrop of the seizures, said the interceptions were significant, particularly as the country approaches another political season.

He said Customs deserved commendation for detecting and intercepting prohibited items concealed in containers, describing the task as challenging.

Amiwero also stressed the need to distinguish between importers or agents allegedly involved in the illegal importation of arms and the Customs Service, whose responsibility includes inspecting cargo and intercepting prohibited goods.

“We have to commend the Customs for what they are doing. Intercepting those things is not an easy thing to intercept.

“You bring up containers, they can arrange it in different ways you will not understand. If the containers are not properly inspected, you will not know that they are in there,” he said.

Amiwero suggested that the political environment could be one of the factors contributing to the movement of arms into the country, saying some individuals could seek to exploit the period for illicit activities.

He called for stronger cargo inspection and information-sharing mechanisms among countries, noting that some jurisdictions conduct pre-shipment screening and exchange information on consignments before they arrive at their ports.

According to him, such measures could assist Nigerian authorities in identifying prohibited goods before they enter the country.

The NCMDLCA president said importers or agents found to have bypassed established clearance procedures should be held responsible, adding that intercepting prohibited consignments was part of the Customs Service’s mandate.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Importers Association of Nigeria, Ahmed Yar’Adua, said the association would meet with the Nigeria Customs Service over the recent seizures and concerns about the movement of arms into the country.

Yar’Adua disclosed this in an interview with Vanguard, saying the association had begun discussions on the issue and would engage Customs on the development.

He said the proposed engagement would provide an opportunity for stakeholders in the importation and clearance chain to examine the circumstances surrounding the movement of prohibited arms through Nigerian ports and discuss measures to prevent a recurrence.

Also speaking, a professor at Lagos State University, Prof Dapo Thomas, said several factors, including insecurity and political activities, could contribute to the movement of illegal arms into the country.

Thomas said gun-running had become a business for some individuals and that increased demand could result in a corresponding increase in the volume of arms being trafficked.

“Gun-running has been a business for some people now. So, the question should have been, maybe it’s on the increase now.

“If you have been importing maybe 10, 20, 40, 70 before, and then you feel that there is a serious insecurity issue and there are security lapses, which in a way serves as an encouragement for you to bring in more guns,” he said.

The don, however, cautioned against attributing the development solely to the forthcoming elections, saying insecurity and other factors could also contribute to arms trafficking.

He said election periods had historically been associated with increased demand for weapons, but urged the government to remain vigilant and strengthen measures to check the inflow of arms.

Thomas called on the government, Customs, the police and other agencies responsible for border control and cargo movement to intensify surveillance and monitoring of consignments entering the country.

“Government should not relax in ensuring that it provides maximum security for its citizens,” he said.

Thomas warned that security lapses could create conditions that facilitate the activities of criminals and illegal arms dealers, stressing the need to strengthen security measures across the country.

The recent interceptions of pump-action rifles have renewed concerns over the channels through which prohibited arms enter Nigeria, with stakeholders calling for stronger coordination among Customs, importers, licensed customs agents and security agencies.