Mixed reactions as Nigerian arms centre set to destroy N4 billion weapons seized by Customs

Mixed reactions have trailed the plan by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons to destroy the large cache of arms and ammunition intercepted by the Nigerian Customs Service.

The Nigerian Customs had during one of its operations intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with 844 rifles and 112,500 live ammunition in Port Harcourt.

The arms and ammunition were said to have been skillfully concealed within items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings and leather bags.

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The intercepted container was also reported to have originated from Turkey and its duty-paid value was put at N4bn.

In a statement on Monday, the centre’s Director, Strategic Communications and Information, Group Captain Pius Okwuego, said the handing over of the seized weapons was done in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

“The Nigerian Customs Service, under the leadership of Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, officially handed over the seized arms and ammunition to the NCCSALW today in Port Harcourt.

“This transfer is a significant step in the collaborative efforts between national security agencies to safeguard Nigeria’s borders and public safety,” the statement read.

Okwuego noted that the National Coordinator of the Centre, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Johnson Kokumo (retd.), said the weapons would be destroyed to prevent them from constituting a threat to society.

“This seizure is a testament to the unwavering contributions of the Nigerian Customs Service to protect our nation from the dangers posed by illicit arms. The NCCSALW will ensure that these weapons are properly documented and destroyed to prevent them from ever posing a threat to our society,” Kokumo was quoted as saying.

However, the plan to destroy the weapons has generated mixed reactions from netizens as many opined that instead, the weapons should be given to the security personnel to fight insecurity and other crimes.

An X user @ayemojubar said; “You plan to destroy seized weapons valued at N4bn, yet the military, defense, and police will likely request additional funds to purchase equipment later this year. Make it make sense.”

Amb. Dr. Stephen O. Enike-Matthew tweeting as @sir_enike wrote; “Why destroy them when Nigerian armed forces are in short supply of weapons? What is all this mumbo jumbo nonsense!

Your armed forces are in need of weapons to fight insurgency and terrorist; you seized unauthorized weapons from who we don’t know, then you say you want to destroy the weapons. How na? Na wa oo”

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@Lord_of_Nigeria said; “Anytime they destroy evidence just know the person involved is a big name. They return the arms to the rightful owner. Remember how NDLEA claimed to have destroyed the drugs worth $278M found at Lagos house? This happened after Tinubu had a closed door meeting with the DG NDLEA.”

@plagos wrote; “Who is the importer of arms worth over N4billion? Why is the govt hiding the identity of the owner of these containers And why rushing to destroy evidence that can as well be put into good use? If the government does not answer these questions they are complicit.”

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