The Nigeria Customs Service has announced two significant interceptions at the Tincan Island Port Command in Lagos, involving prohibited items with an estimated value of over N373.8 million.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the seizures during a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday, August 6, 2026, highlighting the service's intelligence-led enforcement operations.
According to the Customs Service, the first interception involved a shipping container that arrived in Nigeria aboard MV VELIKA on July 8, 2026. The container was flagged by the Service's intelligence-led risk management system for additional examination after cargo profiling.
Upon inspection, officers discovered crates containing disassembled components suspected to be parts for pump-action rifles. Adeniyi stated that the discovery was made possible through improved cargo profiling and targeted enforcement measures at the port.
The Service later finalized the coupling and detailed examination of the seizure, uncovering 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms alongside a critical assortment of supplementary rifle parts from the knocked-down components.
He confirmed that two individuals connected to the shipment have been taken into custody, while efforts are ongoing to locate a third individual believed to be linked to the consignment and the importation network.
In a separate operation at the same port, Customs officers intercepted two 40-foot containers carrying products suspected to contain banned substances. The items were concealed among used vehicles, generators, and other imported goods to evade detection.
The seized goods included over 300 cartons of assorted edible products suspected to contain controlled substances, with a combined duty paid value of N373,802,640, described as cannabis-infused products.
Adeniyi described both interceptions as an indication that some criminal networks continue to attempt to use legitimate trade channels to move prohibited goods into the country despite enhanced surveillance.
Checks by DailyVista247 revealed that the successful operations were attributed to enhanced risk assessment, intelligence sharing, and collaboration with other security agencies working to prevent illicit imports.
The Comptroller-General also noted that security agencies typically increase vigilance ahead of the election period, as there is often a rise in attempts to move unauthorized items through ports and borders. He stated that the Service will intensify its enforcement efforts nationwide.
The interception at Tincan Island Port comes less than two weeks after another seizure at the same command, where officers intercepted 204 pump-action rifles smuggled from Turkey aboard MV Algeciras Express on August 16.
The two seizures underline the scale of firearms being intercepted through the port, although Customs has not said whether the consignments are connected or part of the same trafficking network.
He added that the Nigeria Customs Service will continue to hold its personnel to high professional standards and will not condone any actions that undermine national security or lawful trade at the nation's entry points.
Adeniyi commended officers of the Tincan Island Port Command and the Enforcement Unit for their professionalism and called on members of the public to support security efforts by providing credible information on suspicious shipments.
The Service reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while ensuring that prohibited and harmful goods are prevented from entering the country through intelligence-driven enforcement.
