The Cross River and Akwa Ibom States Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it intercepted 26,625 liters of petrol at different locations in Cross River.
IMr Kehinde Ejibunu, Comptroller in-charge of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ Lagos, made this disclosure in Calabar on Tuesday.
Ejibunu, who said that the product was smuggled in 1,065 kegs, gave the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the 26,625 liters of the PMS as N40,054,125.
The comptroller said that the seizure was made at the zone C axis of the NCS by a special taskforce, ‘Operation Whirl Wind’.
“This particular seizure is coming on the heels of a huge seizure of petroleum products respectively in zones A and B, covering both Lagos and Kebbi states, recently.
“Gathering here in Calabar this morning, the headquarters of Cross River /Akwa Ibom /FTZ area command, is for me to showcase to the general public another milestone recorded by the operatives of Operation Whirl Wind in zone C axis.
“Today, we have another seizure of 1,065 kegs of PMS, containing 26,625 of PMS together with one mode of conveyance.
“These interceptions were made on different dates and locations across Agbalagba-Ikom, Akansoko road, Ikom-Ogoja road and other places within the zone.
“It is worthy to note that in collaboration with NMDPRA, our operatives monitored the supply and distribution chain right from the depot of loading up to the final destination (retail outlets) to ensure PMS reach its manifested destinations,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Comptroller in Charge of Cross River and Akwa Ibom States Command, Ogbonna Gabriel, said the service would no longer condone the illegal exportation of Nigeria’s PMS to neighboring countries.
Gabriel expressed hope that with the command’s partnership with host communities, the command would be able to checkmate the activities of smugglers in the area.
He promised that the NSC will not renege on its Social Corporate Responsibility, especially to host communities that volunteer useful information to the command.
“We urge members of the PMS smuggling cartels to have a rethink and better go into legitimate businesses because we will continue to go after them as economic saboteurs, as there is no place for their illegal activities.
“The illegal exportation of Nigeria’s PMS to our neighboring countries will not be tolerated by Nigeria Customs Service,” he emphasised.
