Customs Officers, Others Charged for Illegal Arms Importation

Ladipo Sanusi/

Two officers of Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), and three clearing agents were today, dragged before a Federal High Court, in Lagos, by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

The officers are facing a 9-count charge bordering on conspiracy, importation of prohibited firearms, uttering of documents, forgery, corruption, and importation of prohibited goods.

The accused officers were named as: Mahmud Hassan and Salihu Abdulahi Danjuma.

The clearing agents are: Oscar Okafor, Donatus Ezebunwa Achinulo, and Matthew Okoye.

Among the five defendants, only Matthew Okoye was not present in court.

The AGF, in charge number FHC/L/190c/17, alleged that all the accused persons conspired with one another to illegally import into Nigeria 661 Pump Action Rifles.

They were also alleged to have forged the documents which includes: two Bill of Ladings, one reads ‘Shanghai China’, as Port of Loading, instead of ‘Istanbul’, and another one which reads: ‘Steel Doors’, as the contents of the container on Customs’ Form M, Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) used in smuggling the said 661 rifles Into the country.

One of the officers, Mahmud Hassan, allegedly corruptly offered N400, 000 to one Aliu Musa, the Examination Officer of the Federal Operation Unit of the Customs Service, with intent to prevent hundred per cent search on a container marked PONU 825914/3, which was allegedly used in bringing the arms into the country.

Hassan also allegedly corruptly gave N1million to Government officials at Apapa Port, through his colleague, Danjuma Abdulahi, in order to prevent the search of the container used in bringing in the 661 illegally imported Pump Action rifles.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Kehinde Adesola Fagbemi, are contrary to and punishable under sections 3(6), 1(14)(a)(I) 1(2) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. And section 98(1) (b) of the Criminal Code Act.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the counts of the charge.

Following their plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date. He urged the court to remand the accused persons in Prison’s custody pending trial.

Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Ayotunde Faji, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Prison’s custody. He adjourned the matter till September 12, 2017, for commencement of trial.

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