As militant groups in the Niger Delta respond to disarmament supervised by the Federal Government, there is strong indication that some unidentified groups are raising rebel squads in certain parts of the country.

This indication is heightened by the recent seizures of ammunition and gun training kits made by two commands of the Nigerian Customs Service.

The two commands, Apapa area one and the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT), at separate operations, intercepted containers containing ammunition of various calibers.

While disclosing the results of the command's anti-smuggling operation in Lagos, Customs area controller (CAC) of the Apapa Area one command, Akinade Adewuyi, said 21 containers amongst which was a 40-feet container containing 5,218 live ammunition of various calibers, books of instructions on arms practice among others, were seized.

The 40 feet container, which was declared as personal effects, turned out to contain ammunition and other household items during examination.

According to Adewuyi, who was newly posted to head the command after the former Olufemi Taylor, was promoted to the rank of assistant comptroller general, the items in the container included a carton of gun cleaning kit with accessories and chemicals, two boxes of gun assembling tools and a small bag of gun powder.

Others were reloading scales and other precision tools, 539 empty shells of various calibers, 5218 live ammunitions of various calibers, target practices accessories and books of instructions on arms practice among others.

"The irony of these seizures is that while government is doing every thing possible to ensure peace in the nation through amnesty to the militants and their subsequent surrender of their arms and ammunition, some people are busy importing unauthorised ammunition," Adewuyi declared.

The controller said that the container has been detained for contravention of Schedule 4 of the Common External Tariff pending further investigation, adding that the clearing agent and one other suspect have been arrested and are currently in detention and helping the Command in their investigations.

He said further that the suspects and the offending items will be handed over to the appropriate government agencies when "we conclude our own investigations."

The Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Command intercepted a double barrel gun and 90 rounds of ammunition being smuggled into the country, even as it arrested one suspect believed to be an agent to the importer.

The weapons were hidden in a carton inside a 40-footer container at the SVD bonded terminal under the command.

Deputy Controller of Customs in charge of enforcement, Aliyu .T. Tukur, revealed that the two luxury cars ( a jeep and Honda) and other personal belongings, which are not contraband in the container but they have been detained because they were imported with the contraband consignment.

Tukur said the incident was reported to the customs headquarters and were directed to hand over the double barrel gun and the ammunition, as well as the case file to the port police for further investigation.

Receiving the items, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of Port Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Mohammed Jimoh, promised that the police would carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain the truth, noting that those found guilty would be charged to court for justice to take its course.

Other containers intercepted by Apapa Command were arrested through intelligence network which indicated that the consignee was trying to move the containers to Inland Container Depot Kano as Industrial Raw Material.
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On examination of four randomly selected containers, they were found to contain Saba premium grade vegetable cooking oil in 25 liter jerry cans. The consignment was imported from Singapore but the Product was manufactured in Malaysia.

Adewuyi said further "You will recall that importation of refined vegetable oil contravenes Section 5 Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff 2008- 2012. The containers have since been seized and the suspects have been detained pending further investigations.

"It is indeed saddening to note that while citizens of other nations are working concertedly to tackle the global economic downturn, some unscrupulous Nigerians are busy importing vegetable oil from Malaysia who incidentally borrowed their palm kernel seeds from Nigeria in the '60s."