Date: May 10, 2024
In the midst of a dire scarcity of petroleum products gripping the nation, the Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, has scored a significant victory in intercepting a substantial quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) destined for smuggling across the border.
In a press briefing held at the command headquarters on Friday, May 10, 2024, Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, revealed that a total of 177 sacks and 61 kegs, each containing 25 litres of PMS, were seized along the Isalu Creek Badagry Waterway en route to Benin Republic.
The interception, made possible by a joint patrol team acting on credible intelligence, occurred at approximately 11:30 PM on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. The patrol team swiftly responded to reports of two boats transporting suspected petroleum products concealed within sacks, prompting immediate action in the Isalu Creeks Badagry Waterway.
Read Also: Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali Isah JC : God’s Gift To Gombe State and Humanity
Upon careful examination of the seized goods at the Command Headquarters, it was determined that they contained a total of 12,500 liters of PMS, with a Duty Paid Value estimated at N8,750,000. Comptroller Bamisaiye emphasized that this flagrant act of smuggling violates Sections 245 and 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
In a stern warning to smugglers, Comptroller Bamisaiye reiterated the command’s zero tolerance for such illicit activities, particularly during times of critical fuel scarcity. “There’s a strong warning to the economic importance of this kind of seizure at a time of fuel scarcity can not be over-emphasised,” he stated. “People are suffering due to artificial scarcity, but they are busy smuggling these products outside the country to make money. It’s either they stop this act, or we continue to arrest them. We have zero tolerance for this act,” he vowed.
The Customs Area Controller commended the dedication and efforts of the officers involved in the successful interception, reaffirming the command’s commitment to combatting smuggling and ensuring national economic stability.