(DDM) – The Nigeria Police Force has intercepted a large consignment containing 300 rounds of live ammunition alongside other prohibited contraband items during a security operation carried out in Lagos on Wednesday.
Diaspora Digital Media DDM gathered that the operation was coordinated by the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex (FCID Annex), Alagbon, based on credible intelligence supplied by surveillance units tracking suspicious movements linked to illicit arms trafficking routes in the state.
According to the police, the interception was the outcome of an extended monitoring exercise that targeted a network suspected of moving unregistered weapons and banned items across Lagos, Africa’s most populous commercial city.
Investigators confirmed that five suspects were arrested in connection with the consignment, and preliminary findings suggest the ammunition was intended for distribution among criminal elements operating across different parts of the state.
The FCID Annex stated that the seized rounds of ammunition, packaged to avoid detection, were discovered during a coordinated stop-and-search operation carried out along a key transport route frequently exploited by smugglers.
Security officials disclosed that the contraband recovered with the ammunition included items often circulated in black-market supply chains that support armed robbery gangs, cult groups, and emerging crime syndicates.
Police sources also noted that Lagos has witnessed a recent rise in weapons smuggling attempts, reflecting the broader security challenges sweeping across Nigeria, particularly in urban centres experiencing population pressures and expanding informal criminal economies.
Analysts say the seizure underscores the growing risks posed by illegal arms circulation, which has contributed significantly to spikes in violent robberies, kidnappings, and cult-related clashes in several Lagos neighbourhoods.
Officers from FCID Annex explained that intelligence teams had been tracking the movement of the consignment for several days before launching the operation that led to the arrests.
The suspects, currently undergoing interrogation, are believed to be linked to a larger smuggling ring with possible connections to suppliers operating in border communities across the southwest region.
The police maintained that further investigations are ongoing to uncover the full chain of distribution and identify the masterminds behind the shipment.
Authorities assured the public that the arrests represent a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on illegal arms inflow, especially as law enforcement agencies intensify pre-election security measures and anti-crime operations throughout the year.
The FCID Annex reiterated its commitment to protecting residents, stressing that collaborations between intelligence units, informants, and community policing structures remain critical in stopping the flow of weapons into Lagos.
The police emphasized that the safety of Lagosians depends heavily on timely intelligence sharing, sustained patrols, and continued efforts to dismantle criminal supply networks operating in and around the metropolis.
Officials added that the suspects will be charged to court once investigations are concluded and a full case file is prepared.
The seizure serves as a warning to criminal groups that the police will continue to intensify operations against any activities threatening public safety, peace, and order in Lagos State.