Customs Begins Auctions of N1.5bn Benin Republic Bound Petrol to Public

ABIOLA Seun

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja has started auctioning part of the intercepted N1.5billion petroleum products to the public.
The service auctioned the first set of the 11,000 Jerry cans that were evacuated from Ijofin, a creek under Ipokia local government of Ogun State.
The auctioning which started on Monday went through to Tuesday.
Also, security agencies who collaborate with the unit in fighting smuggling at the creeks and land borders were freely given the seized products.
However, speaking to journalists on reason why the service auctioned the fuel, the Command Public Relation Officer, Jerry Attah said it was done because the seized product is highly inflammable and cannot be kept for long.
He also revealed why the auctioning wasn’t done in the creek saying the unit feared its not being returned to the smugglers.
He said, “The seized products were auctioned because they were highly inflammable and cannot be kept for long. We all know it is dangerous to keep petroleum products let alone 11,000 jerry cans of seized products.”

Speaking on reason it was auctioned at Ikeja and not at the place of arrest, Attah said, “we all know that if we sell at Idiroko, we are selling back to the smugglers but because we don’t want to encourage the saboteurs, we have to sell to the public at an affordable rate,” he said.

Recall that the enforcement unit of the FOU Zone A, Ikeja on Friday intercepted 50,000 Jerry cans of petroleum products bound for Benin Republic.
The petroleum product was sandwiched in about 12 wooden speed boats to be smuggled out of the country.