Insecurity: Joint border patrol reads riot acts to IPMAN, PTD, NURTW operating at nation’s borders

Joint border drill operations against smuggling along Nigeria border towns and villages in the North Central zone has charged members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) operating in the area to be more security conscious to reduce level of insecurity in the country.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting with leaders of the associations in Ilorin on Friday, the coordinator of the joint border patrol operations, Comptroller Muhammad Garba, said some unregistered members of the associations engage in smuggling of prohibited items that could aggravate insecurity situation.

He also said that some unscrupulous members of the union engage in diversion of petroleum products and other illegalities for selfish financial gains.

The joint task force team is comprised of officers of the Customs, Police, Directorate of State Security (DSS), Airforce, Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Army, covering North Central states of Kogi, Niger, Benue and Kwara.

The coordinator, who read riot acts against all unscrupulous or unregistered members of the unions that engage in any act that fuel insecurity or against national economy, said that such people risk seizure of their goods, vehicles, arrest and prosecution.

He said that border closure was not aimed at witch-hunting anyone, adding that border closure had helped to reduce kidnapping, insecurity and illegalities, especially in the areas.

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The Comptroller also warned members of IPMAN and PTD not to sell petroleum products outside 20 km radius location of nation’s border, saying that 87 towns and villages have been listed among such areas outside 20km radius.

“The essence of this meeting is to partner as stakeholders and to avoid cancellation of licences,  unnecessary arrest that could lead to prosecution, jail sentences or seizure of goods. There’s no need of use of force when we can interface and you do not need to see us as difficult people.

“As genuine businessmen, your expectation is to sensitize your people engaging in illegal deals to desist”, he said.

Also speaking on behalf of the associations, Mr. Gbenga Joseph of the IPMAN, called on the joint patrol team to look into high price of petroleum products in the border towns and villages, saying a litre of fuel is N400.

Mr Joseph said that men of the border patrol operations do not allow operators to get to their filling stations after legally loading fuel commodities, adding that the security team could escort petroleum tankers to their destinations to ascertain authenticity if need be.