34,856 cartridges were intercepted by the men of the Ogun State Police Command at Ilara, a border town in the state.
Tribune Online gathered that the cartridges were being conveyed from Togo, a neighbouring country to Anambra state in Nigeria.
Two Nigerians and a Togolese identified as Alani Fayemi, Seyi Bamgbose and Isa Muhammad were arrested in connection to the crime.
The state commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Iliyasu, who led journalists to the area, on Saturday, disclosed that the suspects were arrested by a stop and search patrol team at Olohunda, a border town between Abeokuta North and Imeko Afon local government areas of the State.
Iliyasu said the suspects were arrested by a patrol team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shettima Muhammad, and that the Command had been on the trail of the cartel for more than six months.
They were said to have offered the officers bribe but was rejected, adding that the extant law of the land would be invoked on them.
The suspects
The CP said that the cartridges were nearly concealed at the bottom of the truck marked
LAGOS KSF 254 XX and was being transported to Onitsha in Anambra State.
He said, “Our operatives on border patrol led by ACP Shettima Muhammad, while on a routine patrol of the border area based on intelligence, intercepted a Toyota Dyna Mini truck with registration number KSF 254 XX with some cartons neatly concealed therein.
“The mode of the concealment aroused the suspicion of our men consequent upon which the vehicle was stopped and properly searched. Upon the search, 34, 865 live cartridges were discovered in cartons neatly concealed inside the vehicle.”
The prime suspect of the crime, Muhammad, said the vehicle belonged to one of his customers based in Onitsha and that he approached Bamgbose to drive the vehicle from Togo to Nigeria since he had a valid Driver’s license.
Isa said, “I am 36 years old. I was a bus conductor but I told the man who introduced me to the job to get me acquainted if he gets a better job for me. He later called me that he has one small vehicle but I told him that I don’t have a driver’s license but I have some of my friends that can drive.
“When he called me that the vehicle was available, I called this my friend (pointing to Seyi) so that we can venture into Charcoal business.
“We took the vehicle from Togo and when we got to Nigeria, Seyi said the spring was too small for charcoal business and we were taking it to Abeokuta to fix the spring. On our way, the Police stopped us and said they are suspecting the vehicle but we said we don’t know anything about it, we thought it was the documents they are talking about.
“I don’t know the owner of the motor but he do come to Togo to buy vehicles and okirika (used cloths ) and when he gave me the vehicle, he said we should bring it to Onitsha and call him when we get there. We were not aware that anything was concealed in the vehicle we thought we were driving an empty vehicle.
“Our understanding was that when we get to Onitsha, we will be doing the real job. I have called him immediately we were arrested and he spoke with the police.”