A Federal High Court in Lagos State has ordered two men, Ejiogu Godson and Robert Eze, to be held for 15 days. They are suspected of smuggling high-calibre firearms and ammunition into Nigeria.
Justice Friday Ogazi gave the order on Friday after the Nigeria Customs Service filed a request through its Legal Services Department in Tin-Can Island, Apapa, Lagos.
The request, marked FHC/LAG/CR/601/2026, was presented by the NCS lawyer, Mrs Kehinde Bode-Ayeni.
Bode-Ayeni asked the court to allow the remand so the Customs Service could finish its investigation and decide what charges to bring against the suspects.
She said the request was based on Sections 294 and 295 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Section 6 of the Nigeria Customs Act 2023, and parts of the 1999 Constitution.
The lawyer told the court that there was enough reason to keep the suspects in custody while the investigation continued.
The request was backed by a 15-paragraph affidavit from an NCS officer named N. Akpan, along with a written statement and other documents.
The affidavit stated that Customs officers started watching container number TEMU 1845369 on July 8, 2026, after receiving reliable information.
Akpan mentioned that when officers checked the container on July 13, they found firearms and ammunition hidden inside.
He said further investigations led to the arrest of Godson and Eze, who allegedly provided details about others involved in the suspected forgery and manipulation of Customs records.
The officer also told the court that both suspects had admitted their involvement during questioning.
He added that efforts were still ongoing to catch other suspects linked to the case.
According to Akpan, the investigation could not be wrapped up within the 24 or 48 hours required by law. This was because investigators needed to go to other areas to recover evidence and arrest more suspects.
He claimed that letting the suspects go would put the investigation at risk, as they might know where others connected to the case were hiding.
Akpan asked the court to approve the 15-day remand to help investigators conduct a thorough and quick investigation.
He said once the investigation is complete, formal charges would be filed against the suspects for prosecution.
In his ruling, Justice Ogazi agreed that the request was valid and granted it.
The judge ordered that Godson and Eze be held in a Correctional Centre for 15 days. He also set a date for the next hearing on August 25, 2026, to possibly arrange for the suspects to face charges.
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