There were indications on Thursday that the Federal Government had demanded an explanation from the Iranian government on the interception of arms and ammunition at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
The weapons, concealed in 13 containers and labeled as ‘packages of glass wool and pallets of stone,’ arrived at the port in July from Mumbai, India. But on October 26 when the containers were opened by security agents, they revealed weapons comprising rocket launchers and bombs.
CMA CGM, an international cargo shipper based in France, had said the containers were picked from Bandar Abbas, a port in southern Iran.
The discovery of the weapons raised fears that they were meant to be used by politicians during the 2011 general elections.
The fears were strengthened on Thursday by an Associated Press report which quoted intelligence officials as saying that the arms and ammunition were imported by some politicians.
An intelligence source close to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told THE PUNCH in Abuja that the Federal Government had sought explanation from the Iranian embassy on the weapons shipment.
The source, who declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said, “The government is already in touch with the Iranian government through its ambassador in Nigeria, Hussein Abdullahi.”
“You know that where the shipment emanated from is no longer in dispute. Government is taking up the matter more seriously because they have been reports that two Iranians that facilitated the importation of the containers are hiding in the Iranian embassy.”
Read More:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011122441746
No comments:
Post a Comment