The National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu has praised the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, CGC- Adewale Adeniyi for his dedication towards strengthening border security to tackle the smuggling of petroleum products.
Addressing the gathering, during a high-level meeting with key petroleum stakeholders on Monday at the NSA’s office in Abuja, Ribadu highlighted the critical impact of petroleum smuggling on Nigeria’s economy and national security, calling it a “cancer that kills” by draining valuable resources needed for development.
He commended the leadership of CGC Adeniyi, noting that the Customs Service has played a pivotal role in safeguarding the nation’s borders and economic stability.
The meeting, which brought together representatives from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, focused on finding collaborative solutions to the ongoing smuggling crisis.
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CGC Adeniyi reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to combatting petroleum smuggling, especially in light of the newly implemented NCS Act 2023. He cited recent operations led by Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind which have targeted smuggling syndicates and significantly disrupted illegal activities.
Adeniyi also introduced innovative technologies being used to enhance border security, such as real-time monitoring systems inspired by Dubai Customs’ blockchain-based tracking system for oil and gas movements.
He emphasized the importance of transparency in the petroleum supply chain and reiterated the NCS’s determination to suppress illegitimate trade while supporting legal business activities.
Comptroller Ejibunu called for stronger inter-agency collaboration and increased funding for anti-smuggling operations, noting the importance of combined efforts from agencies like the NNPC, NMDPRA, and security services.
At the close of the meeting, a joint communique was signed by NSA Ribadu, CGC Adeniyi, and other stakeholders, outlining resolutions to further tighten security at the borders and protect Nigeria’s economy from the effects of petroleum smuggling.
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