— Service seizes 1,548 jerrycans of petrol in six weeks
By Umar Yusuf, Yola
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has warned border communities across the country against collaborating with smuggling cartels, describing the activity as economic sabotage.
The service also pledged to strengthen cooperation with sister security agencies to curb smuggling within and across Nigeria’s borders.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Bashir Adewale, disclosed this in Yola on Wednesday, saying the service would restructure and re-equip Operation Whirlwind, its anti-smuggling unit, and reposition its personnel to tackle emerging challenges.
Adewale, who was represented by the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller-General Abubakar Aliyu, spoke during the interception of petroleum products in Yola.
He said the service was intensifying its efforts to confront smugglers and prevent the illegal movement of petroleum products out of the country.
“The Nigeria Customs has been recording huge successes in its anti-smuggling drive, but the defiant smugglers would not want to give up their nefarious activities. It is on this note that new and harder strategies are to be adopted to face the challenges squarely,” he said.
Adewale said border communities played significant roles in identifying and checking smuggling activities, noting that smugglers often operated from communities along the borders.
He identified major smuggling flashpoints in Adamawa State as the Malabu–Belel axis, Girei–Wuro Boki road, Fufore–Gurin route, Wuro Alhaji–Maiha corridor and Mubi–Sahuda axis.
The comptroller-general disclosed that Operation Whirlwind operatives had seized 1,548 jerrycans, each containing 25 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), in the last six weeks.
He said the petrol was allegedly intended for smuggling to neighbouring countries, adding that vehicles used in the operation were also intercepted.
According to him, the seizures have an aggregate duty-paid value of ₦63.115 million.
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