Customs sells seized petrol to Nigerians for ₦180 per litre
The auction is in line with extant laws and the approval of the Comptroller General of Customs.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Sokoto/Zamfara Command has auctioned 25,162 litres of seized petrol to the public in Sokoto State.
Kamal Muhammed, the Area Controller, stated this while addressing newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday.
According to Muhammed, the auction is in line with extant laws and the approval of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi.
"A few weeks ago, under the directive of the Comptroller General, we auctioned 11,270 liters of PMS intercepted by operatives of Operation Whirlwind.
"However, due to the intensified clampdown on smugglers of petroleum products, the service seized 55,164 liters of PMS within the period under review.
"This is with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of about ₦39 million," Muhammed said.
The area controller explained that the price difference of petrol between Nigeria and other West African countries made smuggling of the product a profitable venture for the smugglers.
"Even with the subsidy removal, Nigeria remains among the countries with the cheapest PMS.
"PMS is sold at an average of ₦701.99 per litre in Nigeria, while in Cameroon it is sold at ₦2,061.55, in Mali at ₦2,128.20, and in the Republic of Benin at ₦1,672.05," he stated.
Muhammed added that the smuggling of PMS has continued to create artificial scarcity in some parts of the country.
"This has also added an additional burden on the country's scarce foreign exchange used to import the product," he added.
He said the auction to the general public was at a token of ₦180 per litre. Muhammed assured that the service would continue to protect Nigeria's economic interests with dedication, justice, and integrity.
Delivering the Comptroller General's message to smugglers, he stated, "The NCS will run you out of your illegitimate business."
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