The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered 399 fully assembled Jojef rifles following the completion of the coupling and detailed examination of an arms shipment seized at the Tin Can Island Port Command, Lagos.

The discovery was announced on Sunday, August 9, 2026, following the interception of a container containing concealed crates of knocked-down rifle components. The development adds to the growing list of arms-related items recovered from the shipment.

The additional components recovered include 89 frames, 16 heat shields, 10 trigger pins, three pistons, 25 locking lugs, 80 charging handles, 39 pistol-grip screws, 34 springs, 57 trigger groups, 66 foregrip latches, 45 foregrips or handguards, four pistol grips and five barrels.

‎The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had on Thursday, August 6, disclosed the seizure, saying the components were initially identified as parts of Jojef pump-action rifles. The shipment was intercepted during an examination at the Tin Can Island Port.

‎Adeniyi warned that criminal networks could attempt to exploit Nigeria’s borders, ports and airports to smuggle prohibited items into the country ahead of the next general elections.

‎“We are about entering a major election cycle and we know that by this period, men of the underworld will want to use our borders, our ports, our airports to bring in items like this,” he said, assuring Nigerians that the Service would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations.

‎The Customs boss reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, stronger border surveillance and collaboration with sister security agencies, including the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to identify and dismantle arms trafficking networks.

‎Following the completion of the inventory and assessment of the shipment, Adeniyi said the NCS would hand over the seized firearms and components to the NCCSALW. He said the move underscores the commitment of security agencies to removing illicit weapons from circulation and ensuring that those behind the trafficking network are identified and brought to justice.