Nigeria Customs Service Dismiss Officers Involved In Importation of 661 Pump Action Rifles

Four officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been dismissed after investigations carried out found them guilty of allowing the importation and clearing of the 661 pump action rifles that was seized at Tin Can Islan Port, earlier this year.

The dismissal was confirmed last weekend by Mr Joseph Atah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigeria Customs Service.

The officers; Mahmud Hassan, Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Matthew Okoye who is yet to be captured, and Salihu Danjuma were said to have received bribe in order that a 40-feet container with 661 pump action rifles in them be imported into the country from Turkey through the Apapa port in Lagos.

The accused officers were said to have forged a bill of lading were they stated that the containers had in them ‘steel doors’ rather than the rifles it contained and, further investigation had it that an official of the Nigeria Customs Service attached to the Federal Operative Unit received a bribe of about ₦400,000 in order that thorough search of the container with number; PONU 825914/3 was not done.

Speaking on the matter, the PRO of the Nigeria Customs Service said,”I can tell you that the officers involved in the arms scandals both the one that happened at Mile 2 and the one at Tin Can have been dismissed and the suspects are facing prosecution. The whole cases of the arms are still in court this is the much I can tell you for now. All the suspects are under prosecution.”