The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adamawa and Taraba states Command, has intensified its crackdown on smuggling activities under the leadership of Comptroller Garba Bashir, generating N195.7 million in duty paid value from seized petroleum products in just four months.
Addressing journalists in Yola, Comptroller Bashir described the illegal exportation of petroleum products as a major economic sabotage, stressing that it has inflicted hardship on citizens and the nation. He emphasized the importance of collective effort to protect the country’s interests during what he called “a critical period of our national life.”
According to Bashir, the smuggling of petroleum products continues to threaten Nigeria’s economic stability and national security, undermining the government’s energy sector reforms.
“Despite the well-articulated economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to ensure adequate domestic supply of petroleum products, some unpatriotic elements remain determined to undermine these efforts through complex smuggling operations,” he said.
The Customs boss revealed that the seized petroleum products were being illegally diverted to neighbouring countries through unauthorised routes and waterways. He described the act as a direct assault on the economy and a major cause of fuel scarcity within the country.
Bashir vowed to deploy additional resources and enforce stricter surveillance to dismantle smuggling networks across the region. “The Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute and unshakeable in its mandate to protect our national economy and maintain the integrity of our borders,” he asserted.
In addition to petroleum products, the command also intercepted tankers, trailers, and other vehicles involved in the illegal trade. Seizures included elephant tusks and banned alcoholic products. For the first time, the command disclosed it is prosecuting suspects at the Federal High Court in Yola, marking a new phase in its enforcement strategy.
The command’s sustained anti-smuggling operations signal a firm stance against economic sabotage and a renewed commitment to safeguarding national interests.
