The Niger, Kwara, Kogi Command of the Nigeria Customs has intercepted an Onitsha bound truck load of 200,000 live ammunition being brought into the country from Benin Republic.
The Nation reports that two suspects who were identified as the driver, Bukari Dauda and the owner of the cartridges, Martin Anokwara, were apprehended along the Wawa – Babana border in Niger state in a Iveco Truck with Lagos registration number AKD 904 XE
Parading the suspects, the Command Controller, Comptroller Benjamin Binga said that his men intercepted the truck which entered the country through the Babana border at about 3 a.m on Monday morning. He said that the truck was disguised to be carrying over 100 empty gericans but on thorough checking, it was discovered that the truck had a false bottom which was used to hide the cartridges.
“The checking was not from tip off, it was just out of sheer curiosity that my men decided to do a thorough checking and discovered that unlike other bottoms of trucks, this one had nuts and on removing the nuts, they discovered it was a false bottom which revealed the cartridges. The cartridges are numbering thousands, it would take us hours to count it. We are now working to establish what the cartridges are really meant for and who sent them to bring it into the country'' he said
When interrogated, the driver of the truck, Bukari Dauda said he is from Cotonu in Benin Republic and he was employed by Anokwara to drive the truck for him to Onitsha. He denied having knowledge of the items in the truck.
On his part, the owner of the crtridges, Anokwara said he supplies hunters and licensed owners of double barrel guns in Anambra.
The Customs boss said that the suspects would be charged to court after investigations have been concluded.
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