The Nigerian Army intercepted an international smuggling ring on Saturday while it was moving a truckload of illegal munitions to Anambra State in Nigeria’s southeast.
Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu revealed this in a statement, released yesterday.
The army made the interception during “a meticulous and rigorous” stop and search operation along Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, south-west Nigeria, according to Nwachukwu, a brigadier-general.
According to an army official, the vehicle with the registration number ENU 697 XY- was filled with various types of munitions.
He identified the ammo as 720 packets of 12 calibre red star cartridges with 25 cartridges per packet, totaling 18,000 cartridges; and 250 packets of live black cartridges with 10 packets each, totaling 2500 cartridges of the same calibre.
Nwachukwu stated that the troops had apprehended two individuals and were assisting the military in their investigations.
He identified the suspects as Eric Seworvor, a Ghanaian national, and the truck driver, Lukman Sani.
He stated,
“Information gathered during preliminary investigation revealed that the ammunition, which was surreptitiously concealed in a supposed empty truck, was imported from Mali and itercepted at the Idiroko International Border, where the criminals 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 stated that it needed the forces’ assistance to prevent the cartel from smuggling the illegal weapons into the southeast state, emphasising that the suspects would have terrorised people of the region if they had succeeded.
He urged Nigerians to continue providing information to the army and other security services to help them combat security concerns in the nation.
Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, has praised the army for their dedication to protecting Nigerians’ lives and property, according to Nwachukwu.
cc: Vanguard Ng
