Troops from the 192 Battalion of the Nigerian Army (NA), operating within the 81 Division Area of Responsibility, have successfully dismantled an international ammunition smuggling syndicate.
This operation took place on Saturday, July 15, 2023, when the troops intercepted a truck transporting a large quantity of smuggled ammunition intended for Anambra State.
Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, confirmed the incident, stating that the troops had acted on actionable intelligence.
Conducting a meticulous and rigorous Stop-and-Search operation on Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, they discovered the illicit ammunition concealed within a truck with the registration number ENU 697 XY.
The truck was found to be loaded with 720 packets of Red Star Cartridges of 12 Calibre, each packet containing 25 cartridges, totaling 18,000 cartridges.
Additionally, there were 250 packets of live (black) cartridges, each containing 10 packets, amounting to 2,500 cartridges of the same calibre.
Nwachukwu further disclosed that the two suspects involved in the smuggling attempt were apprehended and identified as Mr. Eric Seworvor, a Ghanaian national, and the driver, Mr. Lukman Sani.
They have been taken into custody and are currently assisting in ongoing investigations.
He said preliminary investigation findings indicated that the smuggled ammunition was covertly concealed within the supposedly empty truck.
The ammunition had been imported from Mali, passing through the Idiroko International Border.
The criminals managed to evade several other checkpoints along the way before reaching their final destination in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they intended to deliver the illegal ammunition.
Thankfully, the vigilant troops’ timely intervention prevented the potential chaos that such a large quantity of ammunition could have unleashed on innocent members of the public.
Brigadier General Nwachukwu appealed to law-abiding citizens to continue supporting the troops and other security agencies by providing credible and actionable information to combat security challenges throughout the country.
The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, commended the troops for their dedication and urged them to persist in synergy with other services and security agencies.
Their collective goal is to create a safe and secure atmosphere for all Nigerians, promoting socio-economic development across the country.
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