ONSA Arraigns Ten For Illegal Firearms Importation In Abuja
Ten individuals accused of illegally importing prohibited firearms and ammunition into the country have been charged in the Federal High Court, Abuja. Their arrest was made by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), working under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
According to a statement by Group Captain Pius Okwuego, the Director of Strategic Communications and Information at the Centre, the arraignment, initially scheduled for September 9, 2024, was postponed because two of the defendants’ lawyers were absent.
The primary suspect, Ali Samson Ofoma, and nine accomplices were apprehended in Abuja, thanks to intelligence efforts by the NCCSALW in collaboration with other security agencies.
Okwuego stated that the suspects face multiple charges, including conspiracy to import prohibited firearms, violating the Firearms Act, and engaging in terrorism-related activities under the 2022 Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act.
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The case follows the interception of a 40-foot container at Onne Port, Rivers State, on June 20, 2024. The container, registered as MAEU-9165396 and shipped from Turkey, was found to be hiding 844 firearms and 112,500 live cartridges, disguised among plumbing materials and steel doors.
The court has adjourned the case to September 26, 2024, for further hearing.
Source: AIT News
Firearms Importation:Centre for Control of Light weapons, ONSA Clampdown on 10 suspects
