In a bid to successfully win the war against the smuggling of petroleum products in the country, Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi has reassured of his commitment to strengthen the existing collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited to effectively combat the smuggling of petroleum products outside Nigeria.
During a meeting with the delegates from NNPCL on Friday, July 5, 2024, at the NCS headquarters in Abuja, CGC Adeniyi insisted that smuggling constitutes a severe national burden on the Nigerian economy.
He said the current routine that exists in the prices of fuel between Nigeria and the neighbouring countries creates a huge incentive for smuggling and that is why NCS, through ‘Operation Whirlwind’ is working with other stakeholders to intensify their efforts in ensuring that smuggling of Premium Motor Spirits (PMS) is curtaled to the barest minimum.
His words: “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, and we saw the ingenious ways in which smugglers take supplies from depot and place them 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 them, confiscated the products that were seen, we sealed up the filling stations and we have handed them over to the regulatory authorities to handle. Some filling station operators tactically devise means to smuggle fuel in a way that is not noticeable.
Adeniyi disclosed that fighting the heinous crime is a significant operation, creating a considerable burden on NCS resources, but it has been a very rewarding exercise for NCS, adding: “We felt that we could have a very good partnership with NNPC for us to sustain this operation over a period of time.”
Expressing delight at the synergy, Adeniyi said: “We are happy we had a deployment from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). But the Nigeria Customs Service needs a situation room where we get data that speaks to the issue of enhancing our capacity. Also, our personnel will be motivated and taken care of, so they won’t be in a compromising situation.”
Speaking, Coordinator of ‘Operation Whirlwind’ Comptroller of Customs, Hussein Ejibunu, stated that the operation started about five weeks ago and has recorded great victories.
He said: “There is no operation that does not have challenges, and 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 79000 litres of fuel that was about to be smuggled out of Kebbi State. This is an indication that we are desirous to do the job, but we need absolute support of the border communities and other agencies.”
On his part, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, stated that the Smuggling of PMS is a major National challenge for the country, and he requested the CGC’s help to minimize the smuggling of PMS outside Nigeria.
He revealed that the volume of fuel smuggled has reduced drastically due to the establishment and efforts of ‘Operation Whirlwind’.
“We are available to provide any necessary support to combat this crime in our borders. We are happy to work with you, and we appreciate you for the enormous impact of your collaboration so far,” he said.
