One of the accused persons standing trial over the illegal importation of 661 Pump Action rifles into the country on Monday told a Federal High Court that he paid ₦1 million to some officials of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police and other security outfits to enable him take the guns out of Apapa Port.

The suspect, Mahmud Hassan, a retired Assistant Comptroller of Customs, made the startling revelation in a recorded video during his interrogation by DSS officials between the hours of 2 pm and 2:45 pm on March 27, 2017.

In the video which was tendered by Jaiye Emmanuel, an operative of the DSS during a trial-within-trial session, Hassan said he gave the money to facilitate the moving out of the container from the port and not for the guns.

When asked how the  ₦1 million was disbursed, Hassan said: “The examiners were given  ₦200,000; C.I.O,  ₦100,000; Enforcement,  ₦200,000; Police, SSS between  ₦20,000, ₦25,000 and  ₦30,000; the two gates,  ₦200,000; exit gate,  ₦20,000 and final gate,  ₦50,000.”

The suspect further disclosed that he raised the cost of clearing the consignment to ₦4 million when he was informed that the container carrying the goods was loaded with 661 Pump Action rifles.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had on June 4, 2017 arraigned Hassan alongside Salisu Abdullahi, Abdullahi Dan, Oscar Okafor, Donatus Ezebunwa Achinulo and Matthew Okoye before Justice Ayotunde Faji of the Federal High Court on charges bordering on illegal importation of fire arms, offering bribe to government officials, conspiracy, forgery, alteration of documents and importation of prohibited goods.