Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Using a claw-hammer the port security agent pulled open the wooden crate to reveal a cargo of seemingly harmless floor-tiles. But, clearing away the top layer of tiles, he and his colleagues revealed the crate's hidden cargo -- smuggled weapons.
Nigeria's security service says it has seized 13 shipping containers in Lagos port filled with illegal weapons, including rockets, grenades and bullets. And each shipping container carries 20 wooden crates.

The seizure comes as Nigeria prepares for 2011 elections that are sure to be one of the most controversial and-- analysts say-- potentially most violent elections in the country's history.
Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan has declared his candidacy amid accusations that, as a southerner, he is reneging on an unofficial agreement that Nigeria's presidency will revolve from south to north. And the next four years are the north's turn.

But on a brief inspection of the seized weapons, Nigeria's National Security Advisor (NSA), Andrew Azazi, refused to speculate on the significance of his discovery.
"We don't want to make any conclusions about what threat they offer, where they are going, or where they are coming from. We need a lot of verifications and, at the end of the day, Nigerians will know that this is what it's all about."
Illegal weapons are nothing new in Nigeria. Militant groups across the country already have ready access to weapons smuggled through the country's notoriously porous borders.
The armed young men, local government and analysts have all told CNN that such weapons are often paid for by politicians to support their own bid for power during elections.
Whoever owned the weapons seized this week in Lagos felt it was safe enough to smuggle them through Nigeria's largest port.

But the NSA insists this seizure instead highlights the effectiveness of Nigeria's security.
"If weapons are getting through unchecked we will probably find out that these ones will also have gone through," Azazi said. "I think they have a very good procedure and that's how we found out that these ones didn't go unchecked."
But authorities are taking the discovery of these weapons as a warning -- that some Nigerians are expecting trouble.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/10/28/nigeria.smuggled.weapons/index.html?hpt=C1

Imaging one person importing weapons to kill his own fellow citizens and I believed it must be one of those senseless politician because of the coming election. What a backward nation called Nigeria.

The seizure comes as Nigeria prepares for 2011 elections that are sure to be one of the most controversial and-- analysts say-- potentially most violent elections in the country's history.
Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan has declared his candidacy amid accusations that, as a southerner, he is reneging on an unofficial agreement that Nigeria's presidency will revolve from south to north. And the next four years are the north's turn.

Does the US know anything we dont? Just a question.