A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered that three suspects be held in custody. They were arrested by officials from the Nigeria Customs Service for allegedly bringing pump-action rifles into Nigeria unlawfully.
Justice Friday Ogazi made the ruling on Wednesday. The suspects are Kenneth Mbonu, Kenneth Agwu, and Choima Onuoha.
They will stay in the Correctional Centre for 15 days while investigations continue. Justice Ogazi also stated that they must remain in custody until September 1, 2026. On that day, the court will check on the investigation or possibly arraign them.
The firearms were said to be hidden in a container labeled TEMU 184536/9. This container arrived in Nigeria on July 8, 2026, aboard the ship MV VELIKA.
This case follows an earlier order by Justice Ogazi. He had already remanded two other suspects, Ejiogu Godson and Revert Eze, linked to the same shipment of firearms.
The Customs Service, through lawyers David Ereh and Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, had filed an ex parte application. They wanted the court to keep the three suspects in custody.
This application was based on Sections 294 and 295 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015. It also referenced Section 6 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, Sections 6(6), 35(1)(c), (5), and (7)(a) of the amended 1999 Constitution, and Order 46 Rule 4(d) of the Federal High Court Rules.
Initially, Customs wanted the suspects to be held at the Enforcement Unit of Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos. They said they needed more time for investigations and possible prosecution.
The agency told the court that they could not finish their investigation within the 24 or 48 hours required by law. They added that the alleged crimes were serious and fell under the Federal High Court's jurisdiction.
The lawyers explained that if the investigation found enough evidence, the Legal Unit of the Tin Can Island Area Command would prosecute the suspects.
In an affidavit, a Customs officer named N. Akpan provided details supporting the application. He said the investigation began after credible intelligence was received about container TEMU 184536/9.
According to the affidavit, the Customs Area Controller instructed officers to keep an eye on the container on July 8, 2026. When they checked the container on July 13, they allegedly found firearms and ammunition hidden inside.
This discovery led to the arrest of the three suspects and started more investigations into the illegal importation.
The affidavit also claimed that the suspects gave information that could lead to other people involved in forging Customs records. These records helped in wrongfully removing the container.
Customs operatives are working to catch these other suspects and are deepening their investigations into the case.
The officer mentioned that the three suspects had made statements that Customs called voluntary and confessional.
The agency argued that if the suspects were released now, it could hurt the investigation. They claimed the suspects might help others avoid arrest or interfere with collecting important evidence.
Customs asked the court to approve the 15-day remand order. This will help their operatives finish the investigation and prepare for possible prosecution.
After listening to the arguments, Justice Ogazi ordered that Mbonu, Agwu, and Onuoha be held in the Nigerian Correctional Service for 15 days. The judge postponed the case until September 1, 2026, for an investigation report or possible arraignment of the suspects.
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