Customs CG tasks operation whirlwind officers to crush smuggling in Kebbi

The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has charged officers and men of the Operation Whirlwind unit of the Nigerian Customs Service to redouble their efforts in putting an end to the activities and menace of die-hard smugglers in the Kebbi State Area Command.

The Comptroller General, represented at a press conference in the Kebbi State Command premises on Tuesday by the National Coordinator of the operation, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG), Husseini Ejibunu, stated that smuggling poses significant dangers to Nigeria’s economy.

He highlighted these dangers as including revenue loss, distortion of trade statistics, artificial scarcity of petroleum products (PMS), threats to national security, and the undermining of government policies, among others.

“Our recent intervention highlights the unwavering and tireless efforts and commitment of the officers and men of the Operation Whirlwind team, the Command’s Federal Operations Unit ‘B’ officers, and the strength of inter-agency collaboration in ensuring the security of our borders and the preservation of our national economy.

“It is pertinent to note that this is the first time a seizure of this magnitude has been made in a single operation. It is the single largest seizure since the inception of Operation Whirlwind,” he said.

The Comptroller General further disclosed that during a strategic operation based on credible intelligence, conducted at Tsamiya in conjunction with the Kebbi Area Command, three Scania trucks were intercepted. The trucks were registered as follows:

• BC7184RB (Republic of Benin): Containing 766 jerry cans of 25 litres of petrol, alongside drums of 200 litres each of petrol.

• AT 2457RB (Republic of Benin): Loaded with 1,454 jerry cans of 25 litres of PMS and 18 drums of 200 litres each of PMS.

• BV 6240RB (Republic of Benin): Carrying 1,350 jerry cans of 25 litres of PMS and 18 drums of 200 litres each of PMS.

He noted that the grand total of all the seized PMS in jerry cans amounted to 4,375 litres at 25 litres each, while the 54 drums amounted to 10,800 litres at approximately 200 litres per drum. Adding these together, the total seizure in litres came to 125,000, with a street value estimated at N125 million.