The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially handed over 1,599 assorted arms and 2,298 live cartridges to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), reinforcing its commitment to national security and border protection.

The arms, which were seized in 2018 in three containers at the Tin Can Island Port, were formally transferred to the NCCSALW on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at the headquarters of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Ikeja, Lagos.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the NCS’s dedication to curbing arms smuggling and safeguarding public safety.

“We will spare no resource in hunting down, exposing, and prosecuting anyone who attempts to compromise our national security through arms trafficking,” Adeniyi stated.

He also commended the professionalism and courage of Customs officers involved in the seizures, particularly the Forensics Unit, for their role in securing convictions. He assured the public of the Service’s commitment to protecting legitimate trade while ensuring Nigeria’s security remains paramount.

The Director-General of NCCSALW, DIG Johnson Babatunde (Rtd), received the weapons on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. He assured that the arms would be handled in accordance with international conventions, in line with Nigeria’s commitment as a signatory to the ECOWAS Convention.

“Nigeria is a signatory to the ECOWAS Convention, and we will not do anything short of international best practice,” Babatunde stated.

He called on all stakeholders to remain vigilant and collaborate to ensure that the country remains resilient against the proliferation of illicit weapons.