Nigeria Customs intercepts 204 rifles and announces recruitment screening

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reported two major developments involving enforcement and personnel recruitment.

At the Tincan Island Port, officials intercepted a 20-foot container arriving from Turkey aboard the vessel MV Algeciras Express. Following a 100 per cent physical examination, officers discovered 204 MAS 49 ALTER MAGNUM pump-action rifles and various firearm components concealed among declared used household goods, such as furniture, refrigerators, and solar panels. The NCS has handed these seized items over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW). This seizure follows a similar recent interception where components were assembled into 399 rifles.

Separately, the NCS has announced the physical screening and documentation phase for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise. A total of 3,852 successful candidates have been invited to the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada, Abuja. The recruitment process was highly competitive, with approximately 573,680 applicants vying for the available positions.