The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms and a substantial quantity of rifle components following the completion of a detailed examination of a seized shipment at the Tin Can Island Port Command in Lagos.
The seizure, completed on Sunday, August 9, 2026, represents a major breakthrough in efforts to prevent the illegal importation and proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
The development followed the disclosure by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, on Thursday, August 6, that the Service had intercepted a container containing concealed crates of knocked-down components initially identified as Jojef pump-action rifle parts.
A detailed inventory conducted after the shipment was coupled revealed 399 complete firearms, alongside 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs and 80 charging handles.
Other recovered components included 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips and five barrels.
The seizure comes amid heightened security concerns over the possible movement of illicit arms into Nigeria ahead of the next general elections.
Adeniyi had warned that criminal networks could attempt to exploit the country’s borders, seaports and airports to smuggle prohibited items into the country during the election cycle.
“We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this. We are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not allow them to do so,” he said.
The Customs boss reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, enhanced border surveillance and closer collaboration with sister security agencies to disrupt arms-trafficking networks.
He specifically highlighted cooperation with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) as part of efforts to identify, trace and dismantle networks involved in the illegal movement of firearms.
Following the completion of the inventory and assessment of the shipment, Adeniyi said the NCS was preparing to hand over the seized weapons to the NCCSALW.
The development, he said, underscored the commitment of security agencies to ensuring that dangerous weapons do not reach the streets while pursuing those responsible for the attempted trafficking.
The Customs Service said it would sustain intensified surveillance, intelligence gathering and enforcement operations across Nigeria’s ports and borders to prevent the illicit movement of arms and other prohibited items.
