Nigeria Customs Service seizes 204 illegal rifles at Tin Can Island Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted a shipment of 204 illegal MAS 49 ALTER MAGNUM pump-action rifles and various firearm components at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos. The weapons were discovered inside a 20-foot container originating from Turkey, concealed among declared personal effects such as furniture, refrigerators, solar panels, and detergents.

In addition to the rifles, officials recovered numerous loose components, including trigger pins, locking lugs, charging handles, and trigger groups. The seized items have been handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

The Sea Empowerment & Research Center (SEREC) has urged the Nigerian government to move beyond port interceptions and instead trace the entire supply chain to identify exporters, financiers, and ultimate beneficiaries. SEREC noted that the repeated discovery of Turkish-origin firearms necessitates closer intelligence cooperation between Nigerian and Turkish authorities to address the pattern of arms trafficking.