- The Nigeria Customs Service has
named the importer of the guns that was impounded at the Tin Can Island port
- An investigation report named
Great James Oil and Gas Ltd as the importer of the arms
- The Tin Can Island command of the
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had intercepted 2,671 rifles illegally imported
into Nigeria from Turkey
The Nigeria Customs Service, on Thursday, September
21, named Great James Oil and Gas Ltd as the importer of the haul of 470 guns
that was impounded at the Tin Can Island port last week. According to Daily
Trust's investigation, three individuals with residences in Abuja and Lagos own
the company named in the illegal importation of arms. The Customs boss Col
Hameed Ali (rtd), said Great James Oil and Gas Ltd used a vessel, AVS Arkas
Africa, to ferry the weapons into Nigeria, but did not name the owners of the
company.
However Trendeet.blogspot.com Ayogu
Cyril, Ayogu Kelvin and Ayogu Great James registered the oil firm as its
directors on July 20, 2011 with RC 968675. The investigation also showed that
the three directors used residential addresses in Kaura District of the Federal
Capital Territory and Bariga area in Lagos, respectively, to register the
business. Cyril and Great James gave the address of a residential apartment,
Suite 4, 4th Avenue, Prince and Princess Estate in Kaura District, Abuja while
Kelvin gave the address of a residential apartment at No. 25 Bariga road. When
Daily Trust visited the address in Abuja, a guard informed them that the male
occupant was at home with his wife, but declined the request to speak with his
employer, holding that his boss was not expecting any visitor. A vehicle was
alo spotted parked in front of the building. Another male guard, denied
knowledge of the said oil and gas firm or the occupant’s link to it. He later
went in and returned with a response, saying his boss was equally unaware of
the said firm. Other people in the area said they had no knowledge of what the
occupant was doing for a living, and while others doubted if he had a firm
named Great James Oil and Gas Ltd. At the address given as the residence of
Kelvin located at No 25, Bariga Road, in the Bariga Local Development Area of
Lagos State is a brown one-storey affair of six three bedroom apartments. The report
also showed the building is mainly residential. All but one of the tenants were
out when our correspondent visited there yesterday. A chat with the only
person, who wouldn’t give his name, said Kelvin actually lived there but had
packed out to his own house about two years ago. He said he didn’t know the
address of Kelvin’s present residence. On Thursday, the Customs CG said the
firm used the elbow plumbing plastic that it declared in the bill of lading to
deceive officials about the concealed weapons. He said the 470 weapons were
found after officers had subjected the 20-foot container No. CMAU189817/8 to
100 per cent examination. Hameed Ali said his agency and other security outfits
were investigating the reasons for the massive importation of arms into the
country.
Post a Comment