The Adamawa/Taraba Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 85 200-litre drums of petrol being illegally conveyed to the Republic of Cameroon. The command also seized 795 25-litre jerry cans of the same product found concealed on a bush path at the Sahuda section of the Nigeria-Cameroon border. The Customs Area controller of the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, Comptroller Garba Bashir who called a news briefing Friday at the area command headquarters of the NCS in Yola, disclosed that a Carina E with a hidden compartment loaded with petrol was intercepted along the Girei-Wuro Boki axis of Adamawa State. According to him, the foregoing seizures were made from the 29th of last month to date. He added that within the past six weeks in all, the Area Command has recorded 17 cases of seizure of various items with an aggregate duty value of N36.9 million.
The customs area controller explained that smuggling of petrol out of Nigeria thrives because of high demand in the neighbouring countries.
“In spite of the PMS subsidy repeal, smuggling from Nigeria into the neighbouring countries flourishes. This is due to strong fuel demand and steeper prices in adjacent countries such as Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Benin Republic,” he said.
He vowed however that his command has been strengthening its capabilities and carrying out operations to counter every move of smugglers, adding, “We will continue until we bring smuggling down completely.”