The combined team of security agencies led by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos command, yesterday impounded 11 cartons of explosives weighing 95 kilogrammes that were smuggled into the country.
The 11 carton explosives contraband were flown in from South Africa since February 24, 2012, but vigilant personnel at the Nigeria Aviation Company Limited warehouse alerted security agencies, when they observed that the importer wanted to smuggle them out of the cargo terminal without declaring the items, even as the relevant duty on the items were not paid to the government.
The Customs Area controller incharge of MMIA, Mr. Charles Eporwei Edike, while parading the suspect before journalists explained that the importer, who claimed that he is a miner in Kaduna State brought the explosives into the country, concealed in pallets made of other goods without disclosing to the relevant authorities the content, which he said contravenes the rules of the government.
He further affirmed that he colluded with some clearing agents to take the explosives out of the cargo terminal without securing the relevant police permit and making payments to government on the duty for such goods.