AGF Arraigned Five For Illegal Arms Importation, Bribery

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) on Wednesday arraigned five men for bringing arms and ammunition into the country without authorisation.

They were accused of illegally importing double barrel short guns, pump action rifles and single barrel shot guns (firearms).

Mahmud Hassan, Oscar Okafor, Donatus Achinulo, Mathew Okoye (at large) and Salihu Danjuma were arraigned on nine- count charge of conspiracy to illegally import prohibited firearms, altering of forged documents, bribery and importation of prohibited goods.

Count one of the charge said the defendants “on or about January 21, 2017, at Apapa, Lagos, conspired together to illegally import into Nigeria 661 pump actions rifles.”

The defendants, who were arraigned before Justice Ayokunle Faji at the Federal High Court in Lagos, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution said they brought the arms from Turkey through the Apapa Port in Lagos, using a 40-feet container, which they falsely claimed contained steel doors.

The Federal Government said the defendants violated Section 98A (1) (b) of the Criminal Code Act by corruptly offering bribe to public officials on two occasions.

It said Hassan offered N400,000 to Federal Operative Unit’s Examination Officers on January 21 at Apapa to prevent “100 per cent search” of the 40 feet container numbered PONU 825914/3, which they knew contained prohibited goods.

The prosecution said Hassan, on the same day, “corruptly gave the sum of N1million to government officials at the Apapa Port through one Danjuma Abdullahi in order to prevent search of your container by Customs officials which you knew contained 661 illegally imported pump actions rifles.”

The defendants allegedly forged documents, such as a bill of lading, a Form M and a Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, in a bid to deceive the officials.

According to the prosecution, in order to evade payment of Customs duty, the accused allegedly forged a bill of lading issued at Istanbul on January 9, 2017, claiming it was issued in Shanghai, China.

The Federal Government also alleged that the defendants “illegally imported into Nigeria double barrel shot guns, pump action rifles and single barrel shot guns (firearms) between 2012 and 2016).”

The alleged offences contravene sections 1(2)(c), 1(14) (a)(i) and 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014 and punishable under same.

Justice Faji ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison and adjourned till September 12 for trial.