The Sokoto/Zamfara States Customs Area Command has seized and auctioned 11,270 litres of premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol to the general public at the official rate of N180 in Sokoto.
The Comptroller of the command, Kamal Mohammed, while declaring the auction open in sokoto at a press briefing said the decision was in compliance with the Nigeria Customs Comptroller General marching order to seal up all routes used for the smuggling of petroleum products.
“The operatives of under the aegis of Zone “B” whirlwind tactical team with enforcement by Officers’ and men of our command intercepted the petrol.
“This is in an efforts to of the service to curtail the smuggling and economic sabotage of petroleum products.
“It could be recalled that the Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on the 22nd of May, 2024 inaugurated an intelligence-driven tactical team code-named Whirlwind assigned with the sole aim of combating the smuggling of petroleum products to the neighbouring countries,” he noted.
Mr Mohammed added that the maritime and cross-border smuggling of premium motor spirit has a negative impact on the overall supply chain of the product in addition to the possibility of funding criminal activities with the proceeds.
“Even with the removal of fuel subsidy, the smuggling of premium motor spirit beings about an extra cost burden on the country both in terms of security and supply and securing of the scarce foreign exchange use to import the products.
“The service is poised to continue to protect Nigeria’s economic interest with dedication and integrity without fear or favour in tendem with provision of the law.
“In line with extant laws and the approval of by Comptroller General of Customs, the seized products will be auctioned to the the general public today at a token of N180 per litre,” he added.
Also, last week the operation Whirlwind Zone “B” tactical team auctioned 20,142 litres of the seized products to the general public at Kebbi Area Command in Kebbi State.
In a related development, on the 8th of June 2024, operatives of the command also clampdown on a notorious cartel that specialises in the vandalisation of railway tracks.
“A truck conveying a 20-feet container laden with vandalized railway tracks along with three suspects that were intercepted by the command monitoring team at Kajiji in Shagari local government along Kebbi road.
“The suspects could not tender evidence of allocation from the federal ministry of Transportation, instead made an overture to bribe the officers with N1.5 million and even made an advance cash offer of N300,000.
“Out of patriotism and integrity, the officers chose the path of honour detaining them and bring to command headquarters,” he explained.
He said the Area Command will hand over the Suspects, the truck, and its content and the sum of 300,000 Naira cash to the Commander Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp NSCDC Sokoto Command for further investigation and prosecution.
The Comptroller warned smugglers to desist from their dastardly act as the long arm of the law will surely catch up with them in no distance time.
Receiving the suspects and the container, the Commandant NSCDC sokoto, Mr Bello Alkali Argungu, commended the operatives of customs for the arrests.
He assured that the agency would ensure thorough investigation in to issue for further prosecution according to law.
The Commandant reitterated more readiness to continue to partner sister agencies to rid the country out of all rates of criminalities.
Hauwa Abu
