An Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG), Sambo DanGaladima, cautioned Nigerians against smuggling petroleum to neighbouring countries.
He gave the advice at a strategic meeting of stakeholders held at the headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) Kwara Area Command, Ilorin.
The stakeholders’ meeting was organised to sensitise security operatives and other stakeholders to the need to work as a team for the country’s development.
At the meeting were representatives of industries, the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), the Raw Materials Research Institute, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and other security agencies.
DanGaladima, who is the coordinator in charge of Zone B of NCS, comprising Niger, Kogi Katsina, Kano, Kwara, Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said that petroleum products are a gift of God meant for the people of Nigeria.
“People should be patriotic to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. They should stop smuggling petrol to neighbouring countries because the petrol is meant to benefit the people of Nigeria,” he added.
DanGaladima said that the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies are hard on smugglers of ammunition and hard drugs and all prohibited items from finding their way into the country for the security of the country.
The ACG said that the continued closure of the Chikanda border post in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State was a government policy meant to ensure the proper security of the country.
He said, “The issue of border closure is a federal government policy to ensure security in the country. The Nigeria Customs Service is only implementing the policy. The border posts will remain closed until the government policy changes.”
Representatives of industries, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the Raw Materials Research Institute, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and other security agencies attended the meeting.
