Ten suspects for terrorism were on Monday arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja in connection with the N4bn illegal firearms and ammunition imported into the country in June.

The federal Government, through the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons instituted the case and charged the suspects to court.

This followed the conclusion of investigation into the large cache of arms and ammunition intercepted by the Nigerian Customs Service in Port Harcourt in June.

In the copy of the charge sheet sighted by our correspondent the defendants are Ali Ofoma; Okechukwu Charles; Kingsley Chinasa; Oroghodo Maxwell; Akinkuade Segun; Augustine Elechi; Osumini Kennedy; Ajala Ojo; Faboro Oluwatimilehin and Tolulope Ogundepo.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR /463/ 2024, four charges, bordering on acts of terrorism, illegal importation of prohibited firearms, and forgery, among others, were preferred against the defendants.

The defendants were accused of intentionally conspiring with others at large to illegally import prohibited 844 firearms and 112,500 rounds of cartridges concealed in plumbing materials and other items loaded inside a 1 x 40ft container with Registration Number MAEU- 9165396.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The FG also accused the defendants of altering a bill of lading of the consignment from Ola Gold Maratine Services to read Dan Autos Limited and diverted the movement of the container from the West African Container Terminal to WAX Logistics Limited to cover up their illegal intention to import prohibited arms and ammunitions.