BALTIMORE, MD – Eric Fru Nji, 42, of Fort Washington, Maryland, will spend over five years in federal prison after being sentenced today for a sophisticated scheme to illegally transport firearms – some with deliberately erased serial numbers – and smuggle them all the way to Nigeria. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett handed down the 63-month sentence, followed by two years of supervised release, and a $25,000 fine.
The conviction, secured on May 6, 2022, after a grueling two-week trial, also implicated co-defendants Wilson Nuyila Tita, 47, of Owings Mills, Maryland, and Wilson Che Fonguh, 41, of Bowie, Maryland. They await sentencing, along with seven others charged in related cases. The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Federal prosecutors laid out evidence showing that Nji and his crew, starting in November 2017 and continuing until July 2019, conspired to export a deadly cargo from the United States to Nigeria. The operation culminated in a January 2019 shipment from the Port of Baltimore containing 38 firearms, a shocking 28 of which had their serial numbers deliberately removed – a clear attempt to evade tracking and accountability.
The smuggled weaponry was far from basic. The cache included sniper rifles, SKS assault rifles (some fitted with bayonets), various other rifles, and multiple handguns. Alongside the guns were 44 high-capacity magazines, two rifle scopes, and a staggering 35,000+ rounds of ammunition. The evidence pointed to the intended recipients: separatists engaged in conflict with the Government of Cameroon.
Nji and his co-conspirators weren’t amateurs. They funded the purchase of firearms, ammunition, and shipping materials. They meticulously concealed the weapons inside sealed compressor units, stuffed into duffle bags and heavily wrapped packages, all destined for a container ship bound for Nigeria. Crucially, they used an encrypted messaging app and coded language to shield their illicit communications from law enforcement.
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the collaborative work of HSI and the ATF, as well as contributions from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement; U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service; Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin prosecuted the case, securing a conviction that sends a clear message: illegally arming conflicts overseas will be met with federal force.
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