Customs hands over intercepted military hardware to US gov’t
Hameed Ali, NCS
The Nigeria Government has handed over six Mine-Resistant and All-Terrain Armoured Military Vehicles (MRTV) intercepted in August, to the American government.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony, the Comptroller of Customs in charge of Adamawa and Taraba States, Kamardeen Olumoh, said it is in line with a directive from the National Security Adviser to release the vehicle to the American Government.
“There is no doubt that somethings were left undone and of course, diplomacy will always reign supreme and perhaps that’s why the directive came that all things are sorted out and we should ensure compliance and ensure we assist in all possible ways to ensure that they are evacuated.”
In appreciation, the Deputy Chief of Missions, Embassy of United States of America in Nigeria Kathleen FitzGibbon thanked the Nigerian government for its understanding and for securing the vehicles.
“I’m sorry that we have caused some inconvenience and the next few days will be interesting on how we are going to move them out in terms of logistics. Your patience, flexibility, I can’t tell you how grateful we are.”
The six Mine-Resistant Military Vehicles were intercepted by a combined team of security agencies in August this year in Konkol, Maiha local government of Adamawa state, a border community on the Nigeria Cameroon border.
The trucks were intercepted while transiting from Cameroon to Niger via the Nigerian border.