On Saturday, July 15, 2023, the Nigerian Army’s 192 Battalion, operating within the 81 Division Area of Responsibility, successfully intercepted an international ammunition smuggling syndicate.
According to the Army Spokesman, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Acting on actionable intelligence, the troops conducted a meticulous and rigorous Stop and Search operation along the Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North LGA of Ogun State, where they discovered a truck laden with smuggled ammunition destined for Anambra State.
During the operation, the troops uncovered the illicit ammunition concealed within the truck with registration number ENU 697 XY. The seized items included 720 packets of Red Star Cartridges of 12 Calibre, with each packet containing 25 cartridges, totaling 18,000 cartridges. Additionally, they found an additional 250 packets of live (black) cartridges, with 10 packets per packet, amounting to 2,500 cartridges of the same calibre.
The suspects involved in the smuggling attempt were identified as Mr. Eric Seworvor, a Ghanaian national, and the truck’s driver, Mr. Lukman Sani. Both individuals have been apprehended and are currently in custody, providing assistance in ongoing investigations.
Preliminary investigation findings indicate that the smuggled ammunition, cleverly concealed in an apparently empty truck, was imported from Mali through the Idiroko International Border. The criminals managed to evade several checkpoints along their route to their intended final destination in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they planned to deliver the illegal ammunition. However, the vigilant troops’ timely intervention prevented the potential chaos that such a large quantity of ammunition could have caused to innocent members of the public if the criminals had succeeded.
The Nigerian Army urges law-abiding citizens to continue supporting the troops and other security agencies by providing credible and actionable information as they combat security challenges across the country.
Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, commended the troops for their dedication and urged them to remain steadfast in their efforts, working in synergy with other services and security agencies to provide a safe and secure atmosphere for all Nigerians and promote socio-economic development across the country.