Customs Uncovers 399 Jojef Rifles in Tin Can Port Shipment

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef firearms following the completion of the coupling and detailed examination of a suspected arms shipment intercepted at the Tin Can Island Port Command.

The development, which took place on Sunday, August 9, 2026, also led to the recovery of several additional rifle components, further exposing the scale of the illicit consignment.

Among the supplementary parts recovered were 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs, 80 charging handles, 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips and five barrels.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had on Thursday, August 6, disclosed the interception of a container carrying concealed crates of knocked-down components preliminarily identified as Jojef pump-action rifles.

Following the completion of the coupling and inventory of the shipment, Customs officials were able to establish that the components could be assembled into hundreds of firearms.

Adeniyi had warned that criminal elements could attempt to exploit Nigeria's borders, seaports and airports to smuggle prohibited items into the country, particularly as the nation approaches another election cycle.

He said the Service would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations to prevent the movement of illicit arms and other dangerous items through the country's entry points.

“We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this. We are going to redouble our efforts to ensure that we do not allow them to do so,” Adeniyi said.

The Customs chief also reaffirmed the Service's commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, enhanced border surveillance and closer collaboration with sister security agencies.

He specifically cited collaboration with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), as part of efforts to identify and dismantle networks involved in arms trafficking.

Adeniyi said the seized firearms would be handed over to the NCCSALW after the necessary documentation and processes had been completed.

He stressed that the coordinated action was aimed at ensuring that dangerous weapons were kept off the streets while those responsible for importing and trafficking them were identified and brought to justice.

The seizure adds to growing concerns over the proliferation of illicit firearms in the country, with security agencies increasingly focusing on preventing the use of Nigeria's ports and borders as channels for arms trafficking.