Seme Customs seizes N10million petrol from creeks …Says erring officers to face sanction if…

Seme Customs seizes N10million petrol from creeks

Says erring officers to face sanction if…

 By Silas Onuoha & Udeme Clement

The Nigeria Customs Service ,NCS, Seme Command has intercepted 55,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit ,PMS, commonly known as petrol smuggled through the creeks and illegal routes within its area of coverage.

Sources within the Command revealed this to Financial Business & Maritime News in Lagos.

Our correspondent gathered that the petroleum product was seized from Pashi-Yekeme community located within Owode axis and the creeks through a tip-off.

Financial Business & Maritime News inquest also learnt that the seized petrol is estimated at the monetary value of over N1omillion.

According to the Customs Area Controller ,CAC, of Seme, Comptroller Mohammed Aliyu, “Smuggling of petrol in gallons has been a recurring decimal, which our Officers always tackle. This has been our modest contribution in ameliorating the suffering of Nigerians on shortage of petrol in the country.  Customs under the supervision of CGC Ali Hameed will not hesitate to bring erring officers who circumvent the law to face the consequences of their actions, once their operation is not in line with our core mandates.

“It is pertinent to note that the Owode-Apa Out-station is synonymous to every approved border post manned by  relevant government security agencies like Customs, Police, Immigration, Air force, Navy, DSS, SON, NAFDAC and Civil Defence. This is because all loaded trucks with petroleum products meant for Seme axis are strictly monitored, even as documents provided are carefully scrutinised, in order to avoid diversion/infraction,  and to equally ensure that the products are actually discharged strictly at the approved filling stations along Seme main border or Owode-Apa border communities.

“Our Operatives with anti-bunkering unit are detailed to escort all loaded incoming trucks to ensure strict compliance in discharging the products to the border communities. Our surveillance becomes inevitable because Nigerians who reside along the borders have the right to use these products for their local economic activities once the documents are verified to be approved to them by  Department of Petroleum Resources  ,DPR”.