NIGERIA – The Comptroller General of Customs, Retired Colonel Ahmed Ali has said that the Turkish authorities are working with Nigeria in the fight against illegal import of firearms into Nigeria.
Colonel Ali speaking in Istanbul said the Turkish authorities were unaware that pump action rifles form part of items on the country’s restrictive list and that the collaboration between Nigeria and Turkey will help in successfully combating illegal import of guns into Nigeria.
“What it intends is that it will give us first line information. So, the moment documents are piled for shipping, anything to Nigeria, they will communicate it to us.
“So, the issue of changing manifest on the high sea does not arise. Because we now know what consignment is coming and what is in it,” he said.
Ali also said the collaboration with Turkey will boost the relationship between both countries as the customs personnel can work together and exchange training.
“It will also give us the opportunity to exchange training. It will give us the connectivity in terms of ICT and allow us to exchange personnel. Our officers can work with them and they also can come to Nigeria to work with us. This to us is a win-win situation.”
One of the fallouts of the just concluded D8 meeting is the agreement on gun control entered by Nigeria and Turkey.
This follows a series of arms seizure by the Nigerian Customs at the country’s ports most of which were traced to Turkey.
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