N4bn Illegal Arms Smuggling Case: Ten Suspects Face Terrorism Charges

N4bn Illegal Arms Smuggling Case: Ten Suspects Face Terrorism Charges

The Federal Government, through the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, will today (Monday) arraign 10 suspects for terrorism over their alleged connection with the N4bn illegal firearms and ammunition imported into the country in June.

Ireporteronline learnt on Sunday that the arms centre had concluded its investigation into the large cache of arms and ammunition intercepted by the Nigerian Customs Service in Port Harcourt in June.

The Nigerian Customs had, during one of its operations in June, intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with 844 rifles and 112,500 live ammunition at the Onne Port in Port Harcourt.

The arms and ammunition were said to have been skillfully concealed within items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings and leather bags.

The intercepted container was also reported to have originated from Turkey and its duty-paid value was put at N4bn.

A top source at the centre told our correspondent that 10 suspects arrested in Abuja in connection with the importation of arms and ammunition would be charged in court today (Monday).

The source added that the matter had been assigned to  Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The source said, “Investigation has been concluded on the matter. Ten suspects were arrested while others are at large. The suspects will be taken to court on Monday. The case is before Justice Emeka Nwite in Abuja.’’

In the copy of the charge sheet sighted by a correspondent on Sunday, the defendants are Ali Ofoma; Okechukwu Charles; Kingsley Chinasa; Oroghodo Maxwell; Akinkuade Segun; Augustine Elechi; Osumini Kennedy; Ajala Ojo; Faboro Oluwatimilehin and Tolulope Ogundepo.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR /463/ 2024, four charges, bordering on acts of terrorism, illegal importation of prohibited firearms, and forgery, among others, were preferred against the defendants.

The defendants were accused of intentionally conspiring with others at large to illegally import prohibited 844 firearms and 112,500 rounds of cartridges concealed in plumbing materials and other items loaded inside a 1 x 40ft container with Registration Number MAEU- 9165396.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The FG also accused the defendants of altering a bill of lading of the consignment from Ola Gold Maratine Services to read Dan Autos Limited and diverted the movement of the container from the West African Container Terminal to WAX Logistics Limited to cover up their illegal intention to import prohibited arms and ammunitions.

By doing this, the FG said the defendants committed “an act of uttering of the forged document with the intent that it may anyway be used or acted upon as genuine contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

“That you  Ofoma, Charles and others at large on or about June 20, 2024, at Onne Port Terminal and your subsequent arrest in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did, knowingly and intentionally with others now at large, commit an act of terrorism to wit: you transported prohibited weapons and other dangerous substance on board a Maersk Vigo Ship with a bill of lading number 238921355 conveying a container number MAEU-9165396 into the country thereby committing an act prejudicial to national security and in violation of ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons and you thereby committed-an offence punishable under Section 39(1) (a) (i) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022,” the charge sheet added.

Ofoma, Charles and others at large were accused of importing the arms and ammunition into the country without the required license or authority, contrary to Section 18 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under section 27 (a) (iii) of the same Act.