Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has shed light on how a special operations unit of the agency seized 150,950 litres of petrol, worth N105,965,391, in one week.
Bashir, who was in Adamawa yesterday for a press briefing on the service’s ‘Operation Whirl Wind’, said under the special operation, which was launched two weeks ago, the NCS also intercepted 129,185 litres worth N90,558,685 in their routine operations, bringing the total to 280,135 litres of seized petrol.
“Within seven days of intensive operations, a total of 150,950 litres of PMS (petrol), valued at N105,965,391, have been intercepted at various locations nationwide,” he said of the success of Operation Whirlwind.
On seizures made through routine operations of the various commands, the CG explained that federal operating units and marine commands intercepted a total of 129,185 litres of fuel valued at N90,558,685.
Conducting the briefing at the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command headquarters in Yola, the comptroller-general said fuel smuggling has become so widespread due to higher the cost of the product in neighbouring countries.
He noted: “Comparative studies show that fuel prices in Nigeria remain the cheapest when compared to other countries in the West and Central African region.
“While petrol is sold at an average of N701.99 in Nigeria, it is sold at an average of N1,672.05 in the Republic of Benin and N2,061.55 in Cameroon.
“In other countries around the region, the price of PMS ranges from N1,427.68 in Liberia to N2,128.20 in Mali, averaging N1,787.57, according to the fuel price data obtained from open source.”
Bashir stressed that the cross-border diversion of fuel, which has become so lucrative for smugglers, is an economic sabotage that the NCS could not condone.
“Truck out of petrol from refineries and depots is always meant for particular places, and when such trucks are found far from where they are destined, we will act,” he vowed.
Asked why he mentioned no arrest of suspects, the CG said most of the seizures were abandoned.
