Customs Hands Over Seized Firearms to NCCSALW, Reaffirms Zero Tolerance for Arms Smuggling at PTML
Kathy Kyari
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) Command, on Thursday handed over a cache of seized arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), reaffirming its resolve to keep Nigeria’s ports free from prohibited and dangerous imports.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Lagos on Friday, the Customs Area Controller of PTML Command, Comptroller Joe Anani, said the exercise underscored the Service’s anti-smuggling posture, commitment to legitimate trade, and strong inter-agency collaboration.
“I warmly welcome you all to this event which underscores three very important areas of our function as a service. One, it expresses our anti smuggling resolve at ensuring that prohibited items do not escape from our checks. Two, our commitment to ensure that only legitimate trade thrives within our borders. Three, our shared commitment to inter agency collaboration, fostering cooperation,” Anani said.
He disclosed that the handover was carried out with the approval of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, under whose leadership the seizures were recorded.
The seized items include five pistols of different makes, one Crossman pump master rifle, 132 Remington live cartridges, 51 rounds of 9mm Luger ammunition, four 9mm magazines, 40 assorted 9mm, NIM FC 30-30 blank and hollow ammunitions, as well as 118 empty 9mm shells.
According to the CAC, the arms and ammunition were uncovered on 25 different occasions during the examination of imported vehicles between 2022 and 2025.
“These seizures are fallout of the collective due diligence of the command and other sister agencies in the port. We are using this occasion to reiterate that PTML remains a no go area for unlawful trade under any guise,” he stated.
Anani further noted that the command remained committed to implementing the Revised Kyoto Convention of the World Customs Organisation, balancing trade facilitation with effective border controls.
He added that the ongoing NCS Modernisation Project, including the deployment of the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), also known as B’Odogwu, has significantly improved operational efficiency.
“I am pleased to announce that this command will receive scanners soon as part of the modernisation project and our capacity to detect concealments, like these arms and ammunition would be greatly enhanced,” he said.
Beyond enforcement, the PTML Command also recorded strong revenue performance. Anani disclosed that with two days to the end of January 2026, the command had generated ₦44.05 billion, surpassing the ₦40.49 billion collected in January 2025 by over ₦3.56 billion, representing an 8.8 per cent increase.
Commending compliant stakeholders for their cooperation, the Comptroller described them as “part of this command’s success story.”
He formally handed over the seized arms and ammunition to the NCCSALW for further investigation and necessary action, stressing Customs’ continued partnership with relevant security agencies to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
“On behalf of the CGC, I hereby formally handover these seizures to the National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for appropriate action,” Anani said.
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