National Security Advisor (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has condemned the rising trend of smuggling petroleum products abroad, adding that if not addressed, instability in the foreign exchange market will continue.
Ribadu made the statement on Monday in Abuja at a meeting with officials of ‘Operation Whirlwind’, an initiative organized by the Nigerian Customs Service dedicated to combating the smuggling of petroleum products abroad.
He said, “We have been suffering due to smuggling, and if we want to address our economic problems, smuggling has to stop. It is difficult because it is like cancer and eats up everything. It destroys us and even our security forces because of the very few individuals making profit from it and half of them are not even Nigerians.
“I don’t think there is any country that suffers from smuggling like Nigeria and we have to address it now because with the trouble we are going through, we can’t stabilize Naira and if we can’t stabilize Naira, then we are in trouble.”
The NSA also announced that the agency would provide the necessary support to the Customs Service and other security agencies to address the current problem.
The National Coordinator of ‘Operation Whirlwind’, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, also explained that the plan was launched on May 28, 2024, and that military personnel had swung into action in collaboration with the NMDPR to help implement the mission.
He further said, “From May till date, the Customs has made about 27 seizures and detected smuggling networks in Badagry and Adamawa.
Other activities have also contributed to improving border security and have succeeded in curbing fuel smuggling. Our collaboration with NMDPRA is also very important and crucial. We have seized 500,000 litres of PMS so far using seven trucks across a total of 475 metres.
“The seizures were done in Kebbi, Sokoto, Lagos and Adamawa. We have opened other axis in Kwara, Niger, Katsina and Kano. Because of this work, most of our officers are on death threats including myself and they sent us messages to desist from fighting, but we won’t relate because we ought to fight and ensure survival of Nigeria,” he explained.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi explained that the objective of the stakeholders was to nip smuggling in the bud.
“We won’t spare any effort in combating the menace and this explains why we launched Operations Whirlwind and we have made some progress.
“However, we need funding because we spend about N230 million monthly to sustain the operation and because it is not in our budget it is not sustainable and Customs may not be able to drive it alone. As such, we will need funding collaboration and we intend to sustain it till the end of the year,” he added.
