The Seme Border command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said that it has intercepted a total of 55,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) smuggled in 2,200×25 litres between 1st December 2017 to date, at Pashi-Yekeme community in Owode and the creeks.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Aliyu Mohammed who disclosed this in a press briefing at Seme put the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized product at over ten million naira (N10, 000,000).
Mohammed who noted that the smuggling of petroleum product in jericans had been a recurring decimal that customs operatives always nip it in the bud added that that had been the command’s modest contribution in ameliorating the suffering of Nigerian masses over the current shortage of the PMS products in the country.
According to him,” Today is another milestone in the history of Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, which afforded me the opportunity to showcase the command’s continued and relentless onslaught in combating the smuggling of petroleum products (In jericans of 25 litres and NOT trucks as widely speculated) through the creeks and illegal routes.
“The NCS (Seme border command) is certain and categorical to Nigerians that our operational norms does not allows trucks/tankers of petroleum products to cross the Nigeria territory either through the Seme main border nor its Owode-Apa Outstation. It is pertinent to note that the Owode-Apa Outstation is synonymous to every approved border post manned by all relevant Government security agencies (Nigeria Customs, Police, Immigration, Air force, Navy, DSS, SON, NAFDAC, Quarantine, Civil Defence, among others).
“This is because all loaded trucks with petroleum products meant for Seme axis are strictly monitored and documents provided are carefully scrutinized in order to avoid diversion/infractions, and to equally ensure that the products meant for the axis are actually discharged strictly at the approved filling station along Seme main border or Owode-Apa border communities.
“Our officers of the anti-bunkering unit are detailed to escort all loaded incoming trucks to ensure strict compliance in discharging the products to the border communities. Our surveillance becomes inevitable because Nigerians who resides along the borders have the right to be served with these products for their local economic activities, once the approved structures in the community and the documents of the products are verified to be approved to them by the DPR.
“However, the Seme border command keep patrolling the border to checkmate and ensure that the products discharged and sold to individuals who may be ‘greedy’ and always attempt smuggling it out through the creeks and illegal route at night are apprehended and seized”.
While assuring all Nigerians that the present leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service led by Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali Rtd was ready to bring all erring officers who circumvents government efforts to face the consequences of their actions once their operations was seen to be at abeyance or not in sync with their core mandates, he warned all smugglers and perpetrators of the illicit acts to desist from it or be made to face the full wrath of the law when caught as according to him,” others are currently being convicted”.
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