War Against Smuggling: Customs Seizes 79,500 Litres Of Petroleum

From Ayodele Ajoge, Birnin- Kebbi

Operatives of Operation Whirl Wind of the Nigeria Customs Service Zone ‘D’ on Thursday displayed 79,500 liters of premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly call petrol, with Duty Paid value of N55,729,500 million seized from smugglers taken it across the borders, just as Kebbi Area Command also seized 11,650 liters of same product worth N14,792,429 million duty paid value.

In a joint press conference addressed by the duo of Comptrollers Hussain Kehinde Ejibunu and Ehenacho Ernest Ojike, no fewer than fifteen drums of loaded pms containing 200 litres each was also seized by the operatives of Operation whirl winds at Kebbi and Sokoto Command Areas.

Ejibunu stated that one filling station was also sealed off in this regards and handed over to the regulating agency, the NMDPRA for further investigations.

“It is worthy to note that the Operatives are in daily contact with our control room in Abuja which is being maned by NCS officers and NMDPRA staff, where daily truck out to every location in the country is monitored to ensure compliance with the regulatory authority’s rules on trucking, discharging and dispensing of products, so as to tackle diversion by the operatives.” He added.

Expressing his Command’s performance, Comptroller Ojike stated that his Command was able to generate N25,847,611million in the month of June, which is 67.6% increase as compared to the previous month of May.

Ojike gave the breakdown of good seized to 11,650 liters of premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 40 cartoons of foreign spaghetti, 50 bales of second hand clothings, 28 cartons of diclofenac tablets Bp of 50mg and 10 jerricans of vegetable oils.

“It will interest you to know that the market value of the seized pms which would be auctioned to the general public is N8,178,183 million, which will be paid into the coffers of the Federal government.” He Said.