By Oyeniyi Iwakun
The spokesperson of Tin Can Customs, Uche Ejesieme has faulted reports going viral on the media on newly uncovered 475 Rifles by the command.
The PRO made this disclosure in his response to a text message from MMS Plus on Wednesday, 19th August at 7:30 pm seeking to assertain the veracity of the information as reported on notable national gazettes.
In his short response Mr. Uche denied the reports saying the information isn’t authentic.
“Nothing like that for now” he said
Meanwhile, it has been widely reported that the Tin-can Command of the Nigerian Customs Service has uncovered another set of 475 Riffles on Tuesday, 18th August 2017 barely a week after it intercepted a 20-foot container load of 1,100 pump action Riffles.
The arms were found in a 20-foot container numbered CMAU189817/8 said to be owned by the same importer of 1,100 rifles.
It was said that the pump-action rifles were discovered after the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command; Compt Bashir Yusuf ordered a detailed profiling of the importer of the 1,100 riffles intercepted last week.
This seizure (if true) would make the fourth in the series of arms seizure at tin can port alone within eight months.
It was also said that a source who witnessed the examination of the container told journalists that the riffles were concealed with small connecting pipes.
“The container was owned by the same importer of the 1,100 guns. After a detailed profiling of the importer ordered by the Area Controller, it was discovered that he still has another container inside the port, so they fished it out”
“But I don’t know why they are hiding the identity of the importer, it could even be the government themselves importing this weapons” the source said.
The source as well noted that as at the time of filing the report, the container was being examined at the enforcement unit of customs, while a large number of Customs Intelligence Officers (CIU) and enforcement officers barred port users from witnessing the counting of the guns.
However, MMS Plus suspects that the PRO could be acting under instructions from his superiors. He is possibly ordered not to make any public statement until the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Hameed Ali comes to personally showcase the arms to the press as usual.
Recall that the CGC had last week displayed 1,100 riffles imported into Tincan port from Turkey.
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