Nigeria Seizes Smuggled Weapons, Hamas Suspected

(Apapa Port, Nigeria) All of Nigeria's police and security forces were put on alert Tuesday after the State Security Service (SSS) discovered an illegal shipment of weapons on the cargo vessel, MV CMA-CGM Everest.



Arms seized in Nigeria
The ship reportedly originated in Iran and made a stop in Mumbai, India.

The weapons which were described as similar to those used against United States forces in Afghanistan were conveyed to the port by MV CMA-CGM Everest registered in Marshall Islands and owned by a shipping company in France by July.

"The containers were discharged from the vessel MV CMA-CGM Everest, which berthed in the port on July 10 and sailed out on July 15, 2010, this year. 754 packages of glass wool and stones were declared on the ship's manifest as contents of the 13 containers," the Nigerian customs said in a statement.

Meanwhile, PTI learnt Israeli embassy officials in Nigeria have started talks with Nigeria's secret police on the suspicion that the weapons may have been destined for the Middle East region and smuggled by Hamas.

The port terminal has been sealed off as Nigerian authorities continue to investigate and search for the owner of the weaponry which included contraband such as rocket launchers, grenades and mortars.

The Nigerians are understandably nervous since they currently don't know whether the weapons were being smuggled to Hamas or destined for use in the country. Bomb blasts early this month in the nation's capital of Abuja claimed at least 13 lives.