Customs Declares 2 of its Officers Wanted in Connection with Clearance of truck containing 661 Pump-action Rifles

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has declared two of its officers wanted in relation to the 661 pump-action rifles intercepted by officers of the Federal Operating Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja, along the Mile 2-Apapa Expressway.

The officers, it was alleged, had examined and cleared the container carrying the arms.

PUNCH reports that the wanted officers – Abdullahi, I, with service number 44483 ASC, and Odiba Haruna Inah, with service number 133386 –  fled after the weapons were uncovered

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), had said the agency arrested three suspects – Oscar Okafor (importer), Mahmud Hassan (clearing agent) and Sadique Mustapha (escort) – in connection with the arms smuggling.

He had also explained that some other customs officers were arrested, adding that investigations were ongoing.

The spokesperson for the FOU, Jerry Attah, told our PUNCH on Tuesday that the suspects were cooperating.

“Immediately the weapons were uncovered, they took to their heels and that is why we are declaring them wanted. They were the ones that examined and checked the container at the Apapa port. The other suspects, including three other officers, are still in our custody pending the conclusion of investigations. There will be no half measures. We will get to the root of the case,” Attah said.

An alert issued on Tuesday evening by Dan Ugo, the Deputy Comptroller-General, Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, said that the officers should be arrested wherever they are seen and taken to the nearest customs formation.

The alert read in part: “The above customs officers are wanted in connection with the clearance of a one-by-40-foot container no PONU/825914/3 found to contain 661 pump-action rifles. Whenever/wherever seen, they should be arrested and taken to the nearest customs formation….”