Oyo/Osun Customs Area Command has intercepted 101 drums and 609 kegs of premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, totalling 35,425 litres, being attempted to be smuggled out of the country.
Customs Area Comptroller, Mr Babajide Jaiyeoba, stated this on Thursday in Ibadan while showcasing various seizures of the command within three weeks of his assumption of office.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that other items seized by the command included: 548 bags of foreign rice, 355 pieces of used tyres, 57 bales of second-hand clothing and five sacks of used shoes.
Others were: 10 cartons of used compressors, one sack of used bags and seven used vehicles, with duty paid valued (DVP) totalling N34,851,000.
Jaiyeoba said that it was difficult to imagine that some individuals would conspire to smuggle petrol out of the country despite its current scarcity.
He, however, stated that the command had started auctioning the seized petroleum product to the public to ease the current fuel scarcity.
According to him, the proceeds from the sale of the petroleum product will be remitted to the coffers of the Federal Government.
The comptroller said that the command would not relent in its efforts at fighting smuggling to a standstill, adding that those who were bent on destroying the economy of the country would not have a place to stay.
He assured that the command would continue to improve on daily intelligence gathering and in deploying efforts and available logistics, in accordance with extant laws.
Jayeoba warned smugglers to stay away from Oyo/Osun command, as there would be no safe haven for them.
He said that the achievements recorded so far were made possible through timely sharing of credible intelligence and effective collaboration with the customs intelligence unit (CIU).
The comptroller said his command would maintain zero tolerance for smuggling, bearing in mind its negative impacts on the country’s economic growth.
He disclosed that the command had generated N8, 069,497,949 as at the end of February.
Jaiyeoba commended the traditional rulers, local government chairmen, community leaders and the people of Oyo and Osun states for creating an enabling environment for the personnel to carry out their duties.
