Customs Foil Deadly Smuggling Attempt: Guns, Ammunition & Industrial Drones Seized in Ogun and Ondo


The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), In a major security breakthrough has intercepted a large cache of firearms, ammunition, and industrial drones, preventing what could have been a serious threat to Nigeria’s national security.

At a press briefing in Lagos, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Salisu Shuaibu, disclosed that his officers, acting on credible intelligence, carried out two separate operations that led to the seizures.

First Seizure: Guns Hidden in Spaghetti & Clothes


On Thursday, August 7, 2025, at about 2:13 a.m., operatives intercepted a Nissan Almera along the Ilara bush paths near the Ogun border. The driver and a passenger fled upon sighting the officers, abandoning the vehicle.

A thorough search uncovered:

14 used JOJEF Magnum semi-automatic firearms (Italy)

1 Mossberg pump-action shotgun (USA)

4,841 rounds of ammunition

2 cartons of Danu Spaghetti (20 pieces each)

2 bales and 1 sack of used clothing


The weapons had their serial numbers intact, signaling deliberate concealment within everyday goods to evade detection.

Second Seizure: Drones Without Permits

In another operation on August 9, 2025, at about 9:10 a.m., a patrol team stopped a Volkswagen Sprinter bus along the Akure–Ore axis of Ondo State. Hidden in a wooden box inside the vehicle were two high-grade industrial drones lacking proper documentation. One suspect was arrested in connection with the cargo.

Duty Paid Value & Security Implications

The intercepted drones, ammunition, and contraband items carry a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦377,110,800.00.

Comptroller Shuaibu stressed that the importation of such items without clearance from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) constitutes a direct threat to national security.


The seized arms and ammunition have been handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for investigation and prosecution. Receiving the items, Retired CP Adeolu Alamutu, a representative of the Lagos State NCCSALW, warned criminal networks to desist from smuggling weapons, noting that “the long arms of the law are always ready to catch up with them.”

Meanwhile, Shuaibu lamented that smugglers often abandon their vehicles and escape arrest but assured Nigerians that customs officers are constantly reshuffling tactics to stay ahead of criminal syndicates.


This successful operation underscores the unwavering commitment of the NCS under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to safeguard the nation against destabilizing threats. The message is clear: Nigeria’s borders are no hiding place for smugglers of arms and dangerous cargo.

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