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Customs intercepts rifles worth N270m at Lagos airport

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The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) through the Customs spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada, in Lagos on Wednesday.

The consignment, which was intercepted at the cargo section of the MMA, was also imported from Turkiye with one suspect in custody.

According to the Customs boss, military hardware and accoutrements are also intercepted by the airport command.

“You may recall that the customs recently impounded 11 rifles and six pistols, among other items.

“Similarly, just two days ago, a press briefing of this kind was held in Port Harcourt, where we showcased the seizure of 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of ammunition.

“On June 19, we deployed our personnel to man all the exit points effectively and mandated all examination officers to conduct 100 per cent examination of all consignments.

“During the examination, an item was discovered and suspected to be part of a rifle from a console consignment with airway bill number 235-58737755, emanating from Turkey,” he said.

He said that the entire consignment was isolated for thorough examination.

“At the end of the examination, it was established that four packages were used to conceal 55 pieces of unassembled Jojef Magnum (Tomahawk) semi-automatic shotgun.

“The unassembled rifles were concealed using shower faucet. The duty paid value of these illicit arms is N270.8 million and a suspect is currently in our custody.

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“The suspect is in connection with this illicit arms importation and is assisting with an ongoing investigation to uncover the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” Adeniyi said.

He added that the analysis of this with similar recent seizures indicated that some unscrupulous Nigerians based in Turkey were purchasing, packaging and exporting these illicit arms to Nigeria.

“Intelligence further revealed that they are exploring new frontiers to perpetrate their nefarious activities.

“Still, I can assure Nigerians that all our commands are on red alert to intercept any such illicit arms importation,” he added.

Adeniyi said that other military and para-military hardware and accoutrements were also seized by the command worth N1.29 billion.

“The military accoutrements are drones, ballistic vests, helmets, walkie-talkies among others.

“Also, on display are some military and paramilitary accoutrements improperly imported without end users’ certificates with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.29 billion.

“The breakdown of these items is as follows: 148 pieces of drones; 172 pieces of ballistic vest; 15 pieces of ballistic vest; one piece of ballistic helmet; 8 pieces of walkie-talkies; 9,172 pieces of military and para-military badges.

“Others are 20 pieces of camouflage uniform; 100 pieces of camouflage vest; 172 pieces of Camouflage caps and 120 pieces of binoculars,” he said.

The Customs boss noted that the total Duty Paid Value of all the displayed items was N1.56 billion.

He explained, “Relying on the relevant provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the following decisions have been taken on the illicit items.

“The 55 pieces of unassembled JOJEF Magnum AGNUM SemiEMI Automatic Shotgun are hereby seized, with the concealing items.

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“The items would be handed over to the coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser, for diligent investigation and prosecution.

“The Suspect arrested will be handed over to the centre for further processing. We will work diligently with other agencies of government to apprehend all other parties to this illicit importation.”

NAN also report that less than 48 hour the Nigeria Customs Service discovered 844 riffles and 112,500 rounds of ammunition in onne on Monday, July 1.

NAN recall that NCS seized the arms and ammunition at the Port Harcourt Area II Command in Onne.

The Customs boss had said that they acted on credible intelligence on June 21, 2024, Customs officers, while inspecting a suspicious 1×40-foot container from Turkey, found it to contain 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition.

Adeniyi said the items were concealed among doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags, with a total duty-paid value of N4.1 billion.

He said that three suspects were detained in connection with the seizure of  ammunition at onne with a thorough investigation underway to ensure all involved face legal consequences.

Adeniyi said in June 29, 2024, customs officers also intercepted eight 40-foot containers destined for a bonded warehouse from Onne Port.

He said the containers contained 1.05 million bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine, 3.5 million tablets of Trodol Benzhexol, and 720 bales of used clothes with the duty-paid value of N13.9 billion.

The customs boss said that the interception underscored Customs’ commitment to national security and public safety. (NAN

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Tinubu Dismisses Kyari, Restructures NNPCL Board in Major Overhaul

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially dissolved the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which includes the removal of Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mele Kyari and Chairman Pius Akinyelure, along with all other board members appointed in November 2023.

In an announcement, the President introduced an 11-member restructured board, appointing Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new GCEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the Non-Executive Chairman. These changes are effective immediately, as stated by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy.

Emphasizing the need for “enhanced operational efficiency, restored investor confidence, and a more commercially viable NNPC,” President Tinubu exercised his authority under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to implement this significant reorganization.

The newly formed board comprises Adedapo Segun, who continues as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), alongside six non-executive directors representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Bello Rabiu (North West), Yusuf Usman (North East), Babs Omotowa (North Central), Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South West), and Henry Obih (South East). Additionally, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Aminu Said Ahmed, representing the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, will serve on the board.

The President has charged the new board with conducting a strategic review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture assets to optimize value. This includes increasing crude oil production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2027 and 3 million bpd by 2030, boosting gas production to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion by 2030, and expanding NNPC’s refining capacity to 200,000 bpd by 2027 and 500,000 bpd by 2030. The administration also aims to attract $30 billion in oil investments by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030, building on the $17 billion secured in 2024.

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Ahmadu Musa Kida, the new Chairman, is a Borno-born engineer and former Deputy Managing Director of Total Nigeria. He also has a background in basketball, having served as the ex-president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the newly appointed GCEO, hails from Kwara State and was previously the Executive Vice President of Renaissance Africa Energy, where he led a $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell’s Nigerian assets. He brings extensive experience from Elf and Shell, having worked across Europe and the Middle East.

President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the outgoing board for their contributions, particularly their efforts in reviving the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which have resumed production after years of dormancy. Analysts view this leadership change as part of Tinubu’s broader reforms in the oil sector, following last year’s removal of fuel subsidies and the promotion of private refinery investments. With the new team established, there are high expectations for enhanced transparency, efficiency, and profitability within Nigeria’s state oil enterprise.

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FG To Implement Policy Compelling IOCs To Drill Or Drop Inactive Oil Wells

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Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.

Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.

He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.

“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.

Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.

He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.

“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.

“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”

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The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.

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Reps Demands Compensation For Families Of Slain Kano Hunters

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The minority caucus in the house of representatives has condemned the killing of 16 Kano-bound hunters in Edo state.

On Thursday, a mob in the Uromi area of Edo killed 16 hunters of northern descent who were travelling from Elele, Rivers state.

The travellers were attacked and lynched after some vigilance group members raised the alarm on suspicion that they were kidnappers.

The Edo state government said 14 suspects arrested in connection with the killing would be transferred to Abuja for further interrogation.

During a visit to some of the families of the victims at Bankure LGA in Kano, Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, assured that justice would be served.

In a statement issued on Monday, the minority caucus described the killing of the hunters as “barbaric”.

“We find such brutal killings of innocent Nigerians in any part of the country by lawless mobs very reprehensible, and if allowed to fester without being put in check by responsible organs of the federal government, such actions could threaten the peace and unity of the country,” the statement reads.

The lawmakers asked Nigerians never to resort to jungle attacks on fellow citizens but to always report any concerns to security agencies.

“We are a nation under the rule of laws, and our law enforcement agencies are always available to partner with every Nigerian to assuage their concerns,” the caucus said.

While noting that the incident is “already setting emotions on edge” in parts of the country, the legislators urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the security agencies investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.

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“Also, adequate compensation should be paid to the affected families,” the caucus said.

The lawmakers implored Nigerians to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding and allow the federal and state governments to investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.

The statement was signed by Kingsley Chinda, minority leader; Ali Isa, minority whip; and Aliyu Madaki, deputy minority leader.

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