Against the backdrop of the debilitating effects of the smuggling of petroleum products through Nigeria’s border posts, the Nigeria Customs Service NCS and Nigeria National Petroleum Limited have reaffirmed their resolve to battle the scourge.
At a meeting of delegates of the two bodies on Friday July 5 2024, in Abuja ,the NCS Comptroller General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and Mele Kyari NNPL Chief Executive Officer CEO, pledged to explore all lawful means to secure and protect the national and security interests of the country against the unpatriotic activities of saboteurs.
The Source reports that the NCS recently inaugurated a special taskforce- Operation Whirlwind to combat the activities of petroleum product- smugglers through the borders to neighbouring West African Countries.
A statement issued on Friday by the National spokesperson for the NCS ,Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, said the NCS CGC, Adeniyi, has reassured of his commitment to reinvigorating the existing collaboration between the Service and NNPL to effectively halt the operations of smugglers of petroleum products .
At the meeting which held at the NCS headquarters in Abuja, Adeniyi blamed the escalation in the smuggling of petroleum products especially to neighbouring countries on the current diferential that exists in the prices of the products between Nigeria and its ECOWAS neighbours.
He, however, assured that the Operation Whirlwind is assiduously working in concert with other stakeholders to ensure that the illegal activities of petroleum products smugglers are reduced to the barest minimum.
“The operations that we have done have thrown up a number of issues, but despite them, I am happy we have made fantastic seizures from different parts of the country.
“We have seen also the ingenious ways in which smugglers take supplies from depots and place in their stations.
“The stations might look empty from the front, still directly behind ,they have linked the hoses through some artificial holes created in their walls into waiting Jerry cans and vehicles from where they take them across the borders.
“It is an act of economic sabotage, and those that we have seen we have arrested, ,confiscated the products that were seen. We have sealed up the filling stations and we have handed them over to regulatory authorities to handle.
“Some filling stations operators tactically devise means to smuggle fuel in a way that is not noticeable” the NCS CGC stated.
Adeniyi emphasised that combating the heinous crime is a significant operation, creating a considerable burden on the NCS resources.
But ,he nevertheless, noted that it has been a very rewarding exercise so far for the Service.
“We felt that we could have a very good partnership with the NNPL for us to sustain this operation over a period of time.
“We are happy we had a secondment from the Nigerian Mainstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA . But the Nigeria Customs needs a Situation Room where we can. get data that speak on the issue of enhancing our capacity .Also our personnel will be motivated and taken care of ,so that they won’t be compromised ” Adeniyi emphasised.
The NNPL CEO, Kyari, while acknowledging the dangers posed to the Nigerian economic growth and development, by the activities of petroleum products smugglers, appealed for continued assistance of the NCS CGC in the fight to halt the scourge.
He also admitted that the volume of smuggled petroleum products has drastically reduced owing to the efforts of the operatives of the NCS Operation Whirlwind Taskforce.
“We are available to provide any necessary support to combat this crime on our borders. We are happy to be working with you, and we appreciate the enormous impact of your collaboration so far” the NNPL Chief stated .
The Coordinator of the NCS Operation Whirlwind Comptroller, Hussein Ejibunu, earlier, while emphasising some challenges facing the operatives noted that the taskforce has since brushed them aside to focus on the onerous task ahead.
He informed that since coming on board five weeks ago, the taskforce has recorded tremendous success.
“There is no operation that does not have challenges. But we have been able to put them aside with the help of the CGC . We have tackled fuel smuggling not only in Adamawa, but across the nation.
“We recently showcased about 79,000 litres of fuel that was about to be smuggled out of Kebbi State. This is an indication that we are desirous of doing the job. But we need absolute support of the border communities and other agencies.” Ejibunu noted.
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