Trailer load of arms, ammunition intercepted in Onitsha

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May 31, 2012 | 3:00 am

News

By VINCENT UJUMADU
AWKA—THE Anambra State branch of  Importers Association of Nigeria and the National Task Force against illegal importation of firearms and ammunition said yesterday that they had intercepted a trailer load of dangerous arms and ammunition in the commercial city of Onitsha.

Briefing newmen, Chairman of the Association, Chief Emma Nwosu, said the weapons had been handed over to the police, explaining that in view of the development,  the association was re-strategizing to fight illegal importation of arms and ammunition into the South Eastern states, especially Onitsha.

According to Nwosu, the primary aim of importers and the task force was to ensure that the good image of genuine importers was restored, noting that the importation of contraband goods and dangerous arms and ammunition was denting the image of genuine businessmen.

He said: “We are saddled with the responsibility of restoring the damaged image of  genuine importers by the illegal importers who have been importing prohibited goods into the country”.

Nwosu decried the level of insecurity at the country’s borders, urging  government to strengthen the importers associations and the task force against illegal importation to tackle the menace through intelligence gathering and proper surveillance on the movement of goods into the country.

Corroborating,  Head of Operations of the group, Chief Alex Igwemma, lamented the high rate of insecurity in some parts of the country which he attributed to porous borders and called for active participation of stakeholders to curb the menace.

Igwemma said the association was working with relevant security agencies to arrest the illegal importers of dangerous explosives and other weapons across the country and urged the public to volunteer useful information to relevant agencies.

He added that Onitsha sea port when operational would be under serious security surveillance to check the proliferation of importation of illegal goods and arms and ammunition into the city.

www.vanguardngr.com

Onitsha!!!! what can we say but na so e be!! Alot of illegal arms intercepted in Nigeria made for the locals somehow has that Onitsha connection.It seems like an illegal arms hub o!Funny thing it's distributed nation wide.As the merchants are after the cash!!!!!

nku5: www.vanguardngr.com

He added that Onitsha sea port when operational would be under serious security surveillance to check the proliferation of importation of illegal goods and arms and ammunition into the city.

I guess we shall see then. I only hope they don't go there to muzzle the port as they do to SE roads and other businesses all in the name of security. Let's have our port first.

@ haka nai - shed more light on onitsha and illegal arms

haka_nai: Onitsha!!!! what can we say but na so e be!! Alot of illegal arms intercepted in Nigeria made for the locals somehow has that Onitsha connection.It seems like an illegal arms hub o!Funny thing it's distributed nation wide.As the merchants are after the cash!!!!!

Yes we want out port.

haka_nai: Onitsha!!!! what can we say but na so e be!! Alot of illegal arms intercepted in Nigeria made for the locals somehow has that Onitsha connection.It seems like an illegal arms hub o!Funny thing it's distributed nation wide.As the merchants are after the cash!!!!!

if dem say na 4 north dem intercept those arms now we 4 no hear word

Somethn needs to be done fast cus it has become a new business prospect for businessmen to be importing such contraband. We need tigh securities at our various borders. Uncle jo pls do somethn abt this.

Is Nigeria preparing for war?

Businesstools: Is Nigeria preparing for war?

War? Who is warring? This is just greedy businessmen who want to make quick cash, Ammunition Squad need to step their game up. Such ills must be removed from the society because when there are illegal weapons everywhere, society ills such as armed robbery, et all thrives even further.

What of de ones wey don enta already?. Preparing for anoda ..........

how did these weapons get into nigeria. it must have come from ph port, lagos port etc. didnt the custom clear it? All the way from lagos to onitsha and not even the custom or security officials can catch them. i do not think we are hearing all sides of the story.

How did such a trailer load escape our security surveilance from Lagos all the way to Onitsha? How come it is fellow importers that caught it and not our Police? Kudos to the vigilant importers.

,

Where is Onitsha ?

I have nothing to say

I just pray that better persons would be at the helm of affairs in this Nigeria. I'm thinking that the owner(s) of the said contraband "ammunition" failed to comply fully with the terms given to him by the customs.

Please give the eastern part of Nigeria to cameroon for God's sake!

Customs and police who should secure the borders and the country collect bribe/sleep on duty only for OSHA traders to be doing their work for them. I just don't get it.

Ask google

~Bluetooth:

Where is Onitsha ?

engineerd: Please give the eastern part of Nigeria to cameroon for God's sake!

Why? Because your name is engineerd

You will rather give SE to Cameroon than SE to be it's own entity, right? People and their views..

700 bombs were similarly intercepted in Abuja many months ago which we heard nothing of afterwards - no arrests, prosecution. Even this, who knows what shall become of the arms at the end of the day? Anyone rich/powerful enough to move a trailer load of arms is most probably rich/powerful enough to protect his interests, whatever they are.

No pictures

Wow! Infinite idiocy at its finest

engineerd: Please give the eastern part of Nigeria to cameroon for God's sake!

joeyfire: Wow! Infinite idiocy at its finest

Shut your trap dummy!

this is just a business

manny4life:

Why? Because your name is engineerd

You will rather give SE to Cameroon than SE to be it's own entity, right? People and their views..

Honestly the crime rate from the SE is annoying !

manny4life:

Why? Because your name is engineerd

You will rather give SE to Cameroon than SE to be it's own entity, right? People and their views..

No! Because Eastern part of Nigeria belongs to Cameroon! You fvckers look alike!

The fact is the north is dealing with insurgency, that's definitely why it would draw more attention. I don't know why but I suspect the arms discovered, belonged to a non-member of the firearms importers association and that's why the arrest was carried out by the police and members of the union.

I wonder if the arms were within the range of those allowed under the firearms act. I know that shot guns and air rifles can be licensed but ak-47's are off limits

1forall: 700 bombs were similarly intercepted in Abuja many months ago which we heard nothing of afterwards - no arrests, prosecution. Even this, who knows what shall become of the arms at the end of the day? Anyone rich/powerful enough to move a trailer load of arms is most probably rich/powerful enough to protect his interests, whatever they are.