Amidst Fuel Scarcity, Western Marine Customs Command Intercepts 12 ,500 Liters of Smuggled Fuel Worth N8.75Million
By DAPO OLAWUNI
Amidst the lingering fuel scarcity in parts of the country, the Nigeria Customs Service Western Marine Command has made a seizure of 177 sacks and 61 kegs of premium motor spirit PMS otherwise known as fuel, all amounting to 12 ,500 liters with a Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only.
Briefing the press at the Command’s Headquarters in Ibafon Apapa Lagos on Friday, the Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye praised the bravery of the officers of the command for the success of the operation leading to the seizures.
Comptroller Bamisaiye said the rapid response of his men culminating in the seizures was in fulfillment of its anti-smuggling functions which is one of the core mandate of Nigeria Customs Service as enshrined in the NCS Act 2023.
He said the Western Marine Command of the Service in a major onslaught against the reign of smuggling on our Western Waterways and Creeks made a seizure of One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres containing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) along Isalu Creek Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
This Seizure,the CAC, noted, is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
His words,”At about 2330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by Teams in the Command credible intelligence was received of the movement of Two (2) Boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in Sacks. Upon receipt of the information the Team moved into Isalu Creeks Badagry Waterway.
“On sighting the approach of our Officers the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek, the loaded Boats were then towed to our Station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters Ibafon Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only.
” The action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service through Western Marine Command is responsible for enforcing.
” The Command under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye is poised more than ever to rid our Waterways of all acts of smuggling and economic sabotage for the benefit of the growth of the economy of Nigeria.”
Comptroller Bamisaiye thanked the Comptroller General of Customs ,Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR,for his Support for the command and for providing state of the Act equipment for the command to fight smuggling and smugglers along water ways.
Responding to question as to how the seizures were made and whether the Boats used by the smugglers were on motion or stationary at the time of intervention,the CAC said the boats were on motion and that some of the smugglers escaped with bullet wounds,noting that there were no casualties on the side of his officers.
