Nigeria Customs intercepts N53m worth of PMS in Kwara

…Customs intercepts N53m worth of PMS in Kwara

…reads riot act to smugglers

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday said that the Service intercepted a total of 53,000 litres of PMS with an overall Duty Paid Value (DPV), of N53,000,000 being smuggled through the Kwara North axis.

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Customs, dropped the hint during his familiarisation tour of the NCS Area Command in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He expressed dismay over incessant smuggling of petroleum products from one axis to other, adding that such illegal acts pose an existential threat to Nigeria’s economic stability and national security.

According to him, the implementation of the petroleum subsidy removal policy by President Bola Tinubu’s Administration, presumed to be highly beneficial to the citizenry, noting that, “we have observed the disturbing trend in sophisticated smuggling operations across our borders despite the expectation that the fuel prices compared to that of Nigeria.”

He posited that smuggling of petroleum products was due to the price disparity in prices in Nigeria compared to the neighbouring Countries like Benin Republic and Cameroon as this would continue to create avenues for criminals to perpetrate smuggling.

“The petrol prices in Nigeria is below N1000, and that remained significantly low when compared to our neighbouring countries like Benin Republic where petroleum is sold at 695 safa per litre – that translate to N1700 per litre or like Cameroon where it goes for N840 safa which translate to N2000 per litre”, he said.

Adeniyi, however, reaffirmed commitment to curbing smuggling by deploying improved modern technology to tighten border security.

“Our borders will be properly manned with the latest technology to ensure that smugglers have no hiding place. We are determined to secure our economy and protect national interests”, he declared.

While giving accounts of his stewardship within a short period of time, he said: “Through intelligence operation and routine enforcement activities; we have achieved a significant results including the ceiling of 12 retail outlets involved in smuggling activities.

“In total, our operative successively intercepted 800 jerry cans of 25 litres of PMS and 33, 000 litres of tanker making total of 53,000 litres of PMS with an overall Duty Paid Value (DPV), of N53,000,000.

“This seizures in Kwara axis complement our ongoing nationwide anti-smuggling operations, where officers are simultaneously monitoring and intercepting illegal petroleum movements across our strategic border corridors.

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“From the North-East through Adamawa/Taraba Command, to the North-West in Kebbi/Sokoto axis and across our Western borders of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, to the Southern regions covering Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Delta States, Operation Whirlwind continues to record significant successes in disrupting the activities of these economic saboteurs.

“The Service will maintain this operational tempo across all zones, adapting our enforcement resources remain strategically deployed to counter these shifts in criminal activities.”

He noted that the Nigeria Customs Service maintains an open-door policy for all legitimate operators in the petroleum products supply chain, adding that, “We have streamlined our processes to facilitate compliant trade and continue to engage constructively with stakeholders who operate within the confines of the law.

“However, for economic saboteurs who persist in undermining our national economy through smuggling, our message remains unequivocal, We will deploy the full weight of the law, and will be no safe haven within our areas of operation.”

Earlier, Faith Ojeifo, Comptroller of the NCS Kwara Area Command, vowed that his team remains committed to combating economic sabotage.

Ojeifo posited that, “smuggling is a threat to national development. We need collective efforts to end it. He also urged border communities to provide intelligence that would aid Nigerian Customs in tackling the menace.