Turkey to investigate illegal arms import to Nigeria

Mr Cakil made the promise during a meeting with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Retd), amid growing concerns over the interception and seizure of pump-action rifles illegally shipped to Nigeria from Turkey.

A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerians Customs Service, Joseph Attah, said the Customs boss informed Mr Cakil that the agency and Nigerians were concerned about the discovery and seizure of 2,671 pump-action rifles brought into Nigeria from Turkey.

The rifles had been brought to Nigeria in four shipments this year.
According to Ali, the different seizures from one source, suggests the complicity of Turkish officials.
But the ambassador assured the Customs boss that his country would not in any way support any activity that poses a security threat to Nigeria.

He promised to get in touch with Turkish authorities with the findings of the NCS “with a view to fishing out criminals behind the illegal arms shipment to Nigeria”.

Also, a team of Nigerian Customs personnel will visit the Turkish Customs “to further discuss ways of nipping such arms export from Turkey”.