The troops of the Nigerian Army have busted an international ammunition smuggling syndicate, while transporting a truckload of smuggled ammunition to Anambra State.
The troops intercepted the ammunition in a truck with Registration number ENU 697 XY during a Stop and Search operation along the Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. -Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, who made this known in a statement on Monday, said the truck was loaded with 720 packets of Red Star Cartridges of 12 Calibre containing 25 cartridges per packet, totalling 18,000 cartridges, and an additional 250 packets of live (black) cartridges containing 10 packets each, totalling 2500 cartridges of same calibre.
Nwachukwu stated that the suspects, identified as Eric Seworvor, a Ghanaian national, and the driver, Lukman Sani, have been taken into custody and are helping with ongoing investigations.
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He added that the information gathered during preliminary investigation revealed that the ammunition, which were surreptitiously concealed in a supposed empty truck, were imported from Mali, via Idiroko International Border, where the suspects had successfully beaten several other checkpoints en route their final destination in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they intended to deliver the illegal ammunition.
The army spokesperson said the timely intervention by the vigilant troops however thwarted the chaos that such a volume of ammunition would have unleashed on innocent people if the criminals had succeeded.
Nwachukwu urged Nigerians to continue to support the troops and other security agencies with credible and actionable information, as they combat security challenges across the country.
He further quoted the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, as commending the troops for their commitment and urged them not to relent as they strive in synergy with other services and security agencies to provide a safe and secure atmosphere for all Nigerians and socio-economic development across the country.
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