Customs Storms Riverine Communities In Ogun, Intercepts N13.2m Worth Of Petrol

• Nigeria Customs Service’s Operation Whirlwind intercepted about N13.2 million worth of petrol that was about to be illegally exported from the country
• The Anti-Bunkering Unit has recovered approximately N234 million worth of petroleum products since its establishment by the Comptroller General of Customs

Operatives of Operation Whirlwind of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) stormed riverine communities in Ogun State over the weekend, intercepting about N13.2 million worth of petrol that was about to be illegally exported.

This latest recovery adds to the total of approximately N234 million worth of petroleum products recovered since the Comptroller General of Customs, Wale Adeniyi, established the service’s Anti-Bunkering Unit.

The NCS’s Anti-Bunkering Unit Coordinator, Husseini Ejibunnu, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Ikeja over the weekend. He mentioned that the recent consignments were intercepted in various parts of Ogun State. Previously, N197 million worth of petrol was intercepted about three weeks ago in Adamawa State, followed by another interception in Ogun State valued at approximately N19 million.

The Anti-Bunkering Unit recently intercepted about 13,750 litres of petrol worth N13.2 million in Ogun State. “We seized 760 jerry cans in 25 litres each, equivalent to 18,750 litres with a duty-paid value of N13.2 million,” Ejibunnu stated.

He emphasized that the successes recorded were a clear manifestation of the determination and resilience of the officers to achieve their goals. “It was a three-day operation; the first one was done at Imeko, the second one was carried out at Owode, and the third was conducted at Ijowun,” he explained.

Some of the seized items were brought to the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A. The coordinator disclosed that a total of nine vehicles used for transportation were also impounded. “Seven of the vehicles are now in Lagos, while two are parked in Abeokuta.”

Ejibunnu mentioned that two suspects were arrested in previous operations, while none were arrested in the recent operation. He vowed that suspects who fled the scene would be tracked down through the recovered vehicles. Additionally, he disclosed that Comptroller General Wale Adeniyi is assembling a legal team to prosecute those arrested.