Lagos — The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone 'A' Ikeja, Lagos, said at the weekend that it intercepted 436 cartridges concealed in packs of confectionaries.

Public Relations Officer of the service, Uche Ejesieme, said the consignment was intercepted last Wednesday during a routine check on a commercial vehicle at Gbaji checkpoint along the Badagry-Seme express way.

The statement quoted the Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit Zone 'A' Ikeja, Dan Ugo, as saying that the unit has stepped up its anti-smuggling activities to check the influx of arms and ammunition through the land borders following security/intelligent reports.

He noted that the Customs Comptroller General, Dr. Abdullahi Dikko Inde, admonished officers to ensure extra vigilance, particularly at the land borders to guard against influx of arms and ammunition especially with the insurgencies in some African countries. He stated that the borders in the South-West and beyond will be thoroughly monitored.

The comptroller said the suspected owners of the consignment jumped into a nearby lagoon during the search, and that all efforts to catch up with them proved abortive.

It was gathered that the consignment has been transferred to the Federal Operations Unit, Ikeja, for further investigation.