Fuel Smuggling Has Reduced Since Subsidy Removal – Customs

Posted by Rotimi Fadeyi Business News, Latest Headlines Saturday, June 24th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Nigeria Customs Service, Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, has stated that there has been a huge reduction in the smuggling of premium motor spirits, also known as petrol, since the removal of fuel subsidy.

The African Examiner recalls that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had, during his speech on inauguration on May 29, 2023, announced that the Federal Government can’t afford to continue to pay subsidy on fuel consumption as he described the policy as “a scam”.

Speaking concerning this policy, the Customs Area Controller in charge of Adamawa/Taraba command, Salisu Abdullahi, disclosed that evidence indicates that fuel smuggling has reduced.

Abdullahi made this known over the weekend when he briefed journalists on the command’s activities in May.

According to Abdullahi, the command seized 14,980 litres of premium motor spirit packed in drums and jerry cans during the period under review.

“The seized petrol is going to be auctioned instantly after this briefing. However, due to the inflammable nature of premium motor spirit, most of it had been disposed of in line with the standard operating procedure and the accrued proceeds remitted into the Federation Account.

“It is evident that the smuggling of PMS has reduced drastically owing to the removal of the subsidy and the product is available in all filling stations,” he said.

The Area Controller further disclosed that during the period under review, the command also recorded 16 seizures of different contraband.

“Other contraband seized included: 494×50kg bags of dry blended NPK fertiliser, three vehicles namely: Toyota Starlet and two Toyota Corollas, used for conveying foreign parboiled rice, 90x50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice and 960 pieces of foreign soaps. The total duty paid value of the seizures stands at NN22.9m,” Abdullahi said.