The Acting Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has revealed that despite the removal of subsidy, some Nigerians are still smuggling Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, to neighbouring countries.
He made the disclosure on the sidelines of a sensitisation workshop on the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 for management staff of the NCS in Abuja on Monday.
Politics Nigeria recalls that during his inaugural speech, President Bola Tinubu announced the end of the petrol subsidy.
Before this declaration, the federal government spent billions of naira on petrol subsidy which lasted for decades.
During this period, there were allegations that petrol from Nigeria was being smuggled to other West African countries, due to it low price when compared to its cost in these nations.
To address this and other fuel subsidy-related concerns, some institutions and professionals called for an end to subsidy, which was eventually implemented by President Tinubu.
But the Customs boss revealed that although smuggling had reduced, it has not stopped in some border stations.
Asked whether petrol was still being smuggled out of Nigeria after the removal of subsidy on the commodity, he replied: “We still have some incidences in some border stations.
“The rate has reduced and we are going to be watching the situation very closely. The situation of fuel is very sensitive and we cannot afford to let the saboteurs take over our economy,” he added.
