Nigeria seizes huge quantity of weapons smuggled in container from Turkey

Nigerian customs officials have seized a large quantity of sophisticated illicit weapons hidden in a container from Turkey, making it one of the largest seizures in the history of Port Harcourt as the West African country grapples with rising crime fuelled by the illegal arms trade.

Authorities have not revealed the identity of the vessel carrying the 40-foot container, but said it was of interest following a tip from intelligence agencies fighting transnational crime. Customs was able to track the container as it moved across continents until it arrived at the Onne port, which accounts for more than 65 percent of Nigeria's seaports' exports.

Despite the importer paying $2.7 million in customs duties for the container and attempting to smuggle it out of the port through a private bonded terminal, authorities managed to seize it on June 21. They searched the container and found the weapons hidden among other items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fixtures and leather bags.

Nigerian customs launched a raid on July 1 at the port, saying it seized 844 firearms, including rifles and shotguns, and 112,500 rounds of ammunition.

“We have three suspects in custody in connection with this matter,” said Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Customs. “Furthermore, a thorough investigation is underway to ensure that all those involved face the full wrath of the law.”

The seizure at Port Harcourt’s Zone II command post in Onne is the latest in a growing string of confiscations as Africa’s most populous country continues to grapple with arms trafficking. Earlier this year, in mid-March, customs seized weapons and ammunition during a routine inspection of imported goods in Lagos, while in January, Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted another arms shipment in Lagos, along with 1,274 packages of cocaine and other drugs.

Research by non-profit organisations such as the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) shows that Nigeria’s seaports and waterways have become hotspots for the illicit firearms trade, controlled by corrupt security agents and businessmen. Between 2010 and 2017, a total of 21.5 million weapons and ammunition were shipped to Nigeria. The illegal weapons are believed to be destined for kidnappers, armed robbers, pipeline vandals, urban militias, ethnic militias and sectarians. Data shows that as of 2020, Nigeria had an estimated 6.2 million guns in civilian hands.

A March study by the ISS shows that firearms importers and traffickers use different strategies and concealment methods to smuggle firearms through seaports. The main method is to falsify import documents and cargo declarations.