The Adamawa and Taraba states Customs Command has confiscated petroleum products and other dangerous chemicals from trans-border smugglers.
The seized items were said to be worth over N33.194 million.
A statement from the command read in parts: “The Adamawa/Taraba Area Command had recorded twenty-eight (28) instances of seizures within the period of three weeks with aggregate Duty Paid Value (DPV) of thirty-three million, nine hundred and ninety-four thousand, nine hundred naira, zero kobo only (N33,194,900)”.
While briefing journalists on Monday in Yola at the command’s headquarters, the Comptroller Garba Bashir said that the products were confiscated at the Adamawa and Taraba borders with Cameron republic.
According to the Comptroller, “the smuggled products are: 36,435 Litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and AGO packed in 1,194 Jerry Cans plus two drums of PMS, and 115 Jerry Cans of AGO with capacity of 25L, 30L and 220L each intended to be smuggled out of the country.”
Bashir explained that the primary driving force of the anti-smuggling campaign is to reinforce national security at borders and safeguard domestic industries.
“This is to prevent the influx of goods harmful to our health, the economy, and border. security. This could be achieved by disallowing the smugglers from having fresh air and truncating their supply chains within the confines of the law,” he said.
Bashir further disclosed that the seized petroleum products will be auctioned to the general public immediately in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and the NCS Act 2023.
He added, “Following the Comptroller General of Customs directives, we shall be handing over the seized 8x200L drums and 35x25L jerry cans of industrial chemical (Dichloromethane popularly called suck and die) to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for continued inter-agency action.”
The Comptroller pointed out that the recent attack on his men and officers will not discourage them from continuing with the war against economy sabotage agents.
“Smugglers are warned and advised to stay clear from such dastardly act else they will face the full weight of the law.
“We mean it and we are standing by it neck-to-neck, ensuring that the smugglers will not enjoy fresh air here in Adamawa and Taraba states in particular and the entire country as a whole,” he warned.
He added, “We have vowed to clamp down on smugglers and economic disruptors, insisting that the nation can no long afford to let saboteurs take over the nation’s economy for their selfish interest while undermining the suffering of the citizens.”
However, the customs boss assured legitimate stakeholders in the petroleum marketing sectors and supply chain managers to go on with their routine operations, noting that they are fully protected by the law.
In his remarks after receiving the seized chemicals, the chief superintendent of narcotics Paul Kwaghe, commended the customs comptroller for the inter agency cooperation and assured that the command will be invited during the destruction of the seized dangerous chemicals.
