26,950 litres of petroleum products have been impounded by the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), being smuggled out of the country to the neighbouring Benin Republic.
This was disclosed by National Coordinator of Operations Whirlwind of the agency, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, during a news conference held at the Command’s headquarters in Abeokuta, on Thursday.
The Customs boss explained that the petroleum products which consisted of 978 kegs of 25 litres totalling 26,950 litres was impounded in Zone A of the NCS consisting of Lagos and Ogun under two weeks.
Ejibunu hinted that a special squad was set up some weeks back by the Comptroller-General of the NCS, Bashir Adeniyi, with the intention to crack down on unscrupulous elements smuggling petroleum products outside the country.
The customs officer added that the activities of the smugglers usually aid the artificial scarcity of petroleum products in the country forcing the prices to go up for as much as N900 per litre.
He said: “In just about two weeks of operation, the Operation Whirlwind team, Zone A axis intercepted 26,950 litres of premium motor spirit worth N19million.
“121 kegs of PMS of 25 litres equivalent to 3,025 litres was intercepted at Oyinkansola Global Concept along Badagry/Seme road in Lagos State on May 31 conveyed in two cars.
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“77 drums of PMS (616 kegs of 25 litres) equivalent to 15, 400 litres was seized on Friday, June 7 at Seayab Petroleum along Imeko/Obada road in Ogun state. The means of conveyance is a truck with the registration number 95D4244D,” he said.
He stated further that another 100 kegs of PMS of 25 litres equivalent to 2,500 litres was impounded on Saturday, June 8 along Owode/Atan road in Ogun.
“While an equivalent of 6,025 litres consisting of 141 kegs of 25 litres was seized at Julankoly Oil and Gas along Owode-Ilaro road.
Ejibunu said that the petroleum stations involved in the criminal activities had been sealed up while their owners shall be prosecuted.
He added that the menace posed by the unpatriotic act of the smugglers on the Nigerian economy could not be overemphasised, hence the need for synergy with other relevant agencies to win the fight against the saboteurs.
He warned all those who were into criminal acts of sabotaging the country’s economy to either have a change of heart or get dealt with according to the laws.
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