USA Africa Dialogue Series - Iranian faces arms trafficking charges in Nigeria

Iranian faces arms trafficking charges in Nigeria

Nov 26, 2010, 7:54 GMT

Nairobi/Abuja - A member of Iran's Revolutionary Guards and three Nigerians have appeared in a Nigerian court to face charges of arms trafficking.

Azim Adhajani, who court papers said was a businessman and member of the guards, was charged Thursday over a shipment of weapons uncovered in the port of Lagos last month.

The court accused Adhajani and his three co-defendants with conspiring to re-export the weapons - rockets and mortars hidden amongst building materials - to Gambia.

Gambia on Monday abruptly severed all ties with Iran, giving no reason for its decision.

Adhajani made no plea, insisting he needed legal representation from Iran's embassy in Nigeria.

Nigeria earlier this month filed a report on the arms shipment to the United Nations Security Council. Under UN sanctions related to Iran's nuclear program, Iran is forbidden from supplying arms.

The case was suspended until January 13.

Another arms shipment, believe to have originated in Belgium, was intercepted in Lagos this week.

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Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
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USA
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