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VENO NEWS:Nuhu Ribadu Convenes Think Tank Petroleum Stakeholders Meeting, Applauds Customs Comptroller-General's Security Architecture in Border Areas
Date: 11-09-24

By Felix Mordi

The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, was the toast of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuru Ribadu, at a high-level stakeholders meeting held at the NSA's office in Abuja, on Monday, September 9, 2024.

Ribadu poured encomium on the Customs boss for his commitment to tightening surveillance across Nigeria’s borders, a move that has significantly curbed the smuggling of petroleum products to neighboring countries.

The thrust of the meeting, according to Ribadu, was to address the recurring challenges of petroleum smuggling, adding that it was a threat to the nation's security and economic growth.

In his opening remarks, Ribadu praised the efforts of the Customs Service under Adeniyi’s leadership, highlighting the agency’s role in not only securing Nigeria's borders, but also safeguarding the integrity of the country’s economy.

He described petroleum smuggling as a “cancer that kills,” stating that it drains vital resources needed for national development and undermines government revenue, even as he emphasized the imperatives of security agencies working in harmony to tackle the cancerous menace of smuggling.

Ribadu warned that, if not properly addressed, the menace would continue to destabilise the oil sector and foster illegal activities across the country's borders

The NSA appreciated the strong presence of key stakeholders, including representatives from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) among others.

In his remarks, CGC Adeniyi, emphasised the Nigeria Customs Service's commitment to fulfilling its legal mandate, especially in light of the NCS Act 2023 which, he said, empowered the agency to enforce strict measures against smuggling activities across the country.

Adeniyi acknowledged the complexity of petroleum products smuggling, and reiterated the Customs Service’s resolve to address the inherent challenges.

According to him, the recent onslaughts of the Comptroller Ejibunu-led 'Operation Whirlwind', was aimed at dismantling smuggling syndicates.

Speaking on the meeting, Adeniyi said: “What we are doing here today is a clear demonstration of the good intentions of the Office of the National Security Adviser, which has provided us with a platform to mount and execute special operations against smuggling".

He further said that, “The repositioning of Nigeria's economy and the oil sector is a crucial objective and, as an organisation, the Nigeria Customs Service is ready to play its role in achieving this".

In the vein, Adeniyi stated the Nigeria Customs Service was leveraging innovative technologies to enhance border security, noting that “One key initiative is the integration of real-time monitoring systems, similar to those used by Dubai Customs, which have successfully employed blockchain technology to track and authenticate oil and gas movements".

He also urged stakeholders to focus on transparency and accountability throughout the petroleum supply chain, adding that smuggling is driven by factors beyond the Customs Service’s control, but pledged that the NCS would not relent in its efforts to clamp down on the illegal trade.

In his words, he said "We remain committed to ensuring that legitimate businesses thrive, while at the same time, we will not hesitate to suppress any form of illegitimate activities in the petroleum sector".

The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, addressing the meeting, emphasized the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration, noting that anti-smuggling efforts required the combined strength of various government agencies, including the NCS, NMDPRA, NNPC Ltd., and security services.

Acknowledging the financial burden associated with conducting the operations, Ejibunu solicited for an increase in funding and allocation of vehicles to the operatives of Operation Whirlwind.

The stakeholders, on their part, all agreed to show commitment to eliminating petroleum smuggling and securing Nigeria's borders, saying, "We all dissociated ourselves from anything smuggling, and we're in support of this operation, Operation Whirlwind".

The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, while announcing the closure of the meeting, said a joint communique had been signed, as he further read some new resolutions that would set the ball rolling, in terms of fighting smuggling.

According to him, "Following extensive deliberations, a joint communique was signed by NSA Ribadu, Comptroller-General Adeniyi, and other key representatives, including officials from NNPC Limited, NMDPRA, and IPMAN.

"The communique outlined a series of resolutions aimed at curbing petroleum smuggling and protecting Nigeria’s economy", Maiwada disclosed.

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