Customs Intercepts ₦72.6m Petrol Smuggling To Cameroon Via River Benue

The Adamawa and Taraba Customs Command has confiscated Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, valued at over ₦72.6 million.

The command attributed the seizure to a renewed war for a sustainable economy and to safeguard the nation’s territorial borders against the infiltration of illicit trans-border Smuggling activities across the country.

While briefing journalists on Wednesday, at the command headquarters in Yola, comptroller Garba Bashir, said that the seized petrol was heading to the Cameroon Republic through river Benue waterways.

He stated, “The operatives of the command have launched yet another heavy blow on the smugglers through shared intelligence, leverage of technology and coordinated border management. ”

Bashir promised that the Adamawa and Taraba customs command under his watch would be a dead zone for smugglers.

“We have started strangling the smugglers and we will continue to strangle and suffocate them until smuggling activities are being purged out of the command, ” he vowed.

He added, “The operatives stormed the bank of River Benue, at Jimeta waterside, popularly called Bakin Kogi at about 0330hours and discovered 240 drums of 220 litres each well arranged with an intent to ferry it through the waterways to the republic of Cameroon.”

Bashir warned, “To the smugglers and economic saboteurs, I encourage you to forsake illicit trade activities and embrace genuine business as Nigeria customs service is out to facilitate legitimate trade and ever ready to crackdown smuggling cartels for the nation’s economy to have fresh air.”