*Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency聽 explain the seized products were found to be off specification and fell below approved standards for use by consumers

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) say the Service has intercepted two tankers laden with poorly refined 80,055 liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), otherwise known as diesel, in Ijebu Ode area of Ogun State.

Hussein Ejibunu, Acting Controller of the Unit, who handed over the petroleum product to officials of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, (NMDPRA -The Authority), said the drivers of the trucks escaped upon sighting Customs officers on patrol, reports Vanguard.

Ejibunu disclosed after study of the documents being used to convey the product and analyses of samples of the said petroleum product, the NCS found that the papers were forged, and the diesel were of poor standard for consumers to use.

He said Customs then, wrote to NMDPRA to verify the status of the products and authenticity of documents found in the vehicles which were both confirmed to be fake.

Giving a breakdown of the seizures and particulars of means of conveyance, the NCS Acting Controller noted that one of the tankers with registration number DBT 599 XA was laden with 44,450 liters, while the other one with registration number USL 561 ZC had 35,605 liters of the AGO.

Ejibunu, therefore, warned criminally-minded people that the FOU Zone A area of responsibility would always be a no go area for smugglers, duty evaders, and perpetrators of other illegal activities.

The NCS chief also urged Nigerians to be patriotic and shun any form of commercial activity that runs foul of the law.

While receiving the seized product, Patrick Musa, an official of the NMDPRA, explained that the products were found to be off specification and fell below approved standards for use in Nigeria.

Musa added that the product could not have been lifted from any approved depots within the country.

Musa commended the Nigeria Customs Service for the seizure, which he described as the good beginning of a productive synergy between NMDPRA and the NCS.