‘NSA Authorizes Re-opening of Fuel Stations Closed For Illegal Bunkering’ – Customs

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, led Joint Borders Patrol Team, JBPT, Sector 2, South West Zone, has said that sealing and unsealing of petroleum filling stations in the zone over activities of illegal fuel bunkering is known to the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.

According to officials of the JBPT also known as Border Drill, the ONSA is not only aware of every operation about sealing and unsealing of culpable dealer stations, but authorizes such operations.

New Customs Lagos Zonal Coordinator, ACG Festus Okun receiving the mantle of leadership flag from his predecessor, ACG Aremu (Rtd)

While the border drill operatives have washed their hands off the illegal brisk business, there are reports that sanctioned fuel stations always return to the lucrative business after reportedly settlements of between N3million to N7million per station, per indictment.

According to the immediate past Officers-in-Charge of Gbaji Axis, CSC Sabi said “No filling station is sealed without the knowledge of the National Security Adviser, because we operate under the NSA.

“All the records are with them, we don’t also reopen sealed filling stations without approval, so the NSA Office has all the reports.”

Also reacting, immediate past OC Operations and currently, Staff Officer, Assistant Controller Adamu said only the Sector Coordinator can speak on the matter when our reporter called on phone to get comment to balance his report.

He promised to inform the coordinator and relay his position, which was however not done more two weeks until filing this report.

Sector 2 Coordinator, Compt. Usman

Finding indicate that two of such filling stations located within the Badagry axis of the zone which were shut down recently at different times by men of the border drill were each, unsealed  less than 24 hours after reported settlements by their respective owners.

One of the two stations was reportedly sealed and unsealed twice, between December and April 2023, even as there are indications that a number of other rogues fillings stations within the Owode, Idiroko, Ilaro, Papalanto, Ohumbe locations involved in the deal usually sorts out and return to the illegal business.

Cross border fuel smuggling was the greatest single threat to Nigeria’s fuel subsidy regime which was reasonably reduced by the immediate past government of President Muhammadu Buhari; following the setting up of the JBPT by the Comptroller General of the Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) and the NSA, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd). 

In a related development, the Sector Coordinator, Comptroller M.N Usman, said since assuming control about a month ago, the team has made a total seizure of 11, 419 items with Duty Paid Value(DPV) of Three Hundred and Twenty Seven Million, Six Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand, Four Hundred Naira (N327,639,400:00k) in addition to auction sales of about Six Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Nine Thousand, Five Hundred Naira (N6,789,500:00k).

Usman during his maiden press briefing at Ikeja penultimate week, said: “Within a month of my resumption, a total of 11, 419 items with Duty Paid Value of Three Hundred and Twenty – Seven Million, Six Hundred and Thirty – Nine Thousand, Four Hundred Naira only (N327,639,400:00k) and Auction Value of about Six Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty – Nine Thousand, Five Hundred Naira only(N6,789,500:00k) have been made.”

He listed the items impounded to include foreign parboiled, petrol, clothing, illicit substances amongst others.