Customs Rejects N1.5m Bribe from Suspected Vandals

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Sokoto /Zamfara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it rejected a N1.5m bribe offered by Vandals involved in the vandalisation of railway tracks .

The Area Comptroller of the command, Kamal Muhammad, made the disclosure while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Sokoto .

He explained that on the 8th of June, operatives of the Command clamped down on a notorious cartel that specializes in vandalisation of railway tracks.

Controller Muhammad stated that a truck conveying a 20 feet container laden with vandalized railway tracks along with three (3) suspects were intercepted by the Command monitoring team at Kajiji along Kebbi road.

He further said that the suspects could not tender evidence of allocation from the Federal Ministry of Transport, instead made an overture to bribe the officers with N1.5 million and even made an advance cash offer of N300, 000.

The Customs boss noted that out of patriotism and integrity, the Officers chose the path of honour by detaining the suspects at the Command Headquarters.

Whole9 maintaining that Nigeria Security and Civil Defense (NSCDC) is the Agency mandated to secure Critical National assets, conforming with the Collaboration Policy thrust of the CGC, he said the Area Command will hand over the suspects, truck and its content, and the sum of N300,000 cash to the Commander NSCDC Sokoto Command for further investigation and prosecution.

In another development, the command said in compliance with the Control General of Customs’s (CGC’) order to seal up all routes used for the smuggling of petroleum products, the Zone ” B” whirlwind tactical team with reinforcement by Officers and men of Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command intercepted 11, 270 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS) popularly called petrol.

He disclosed that the maritime and cross border smuggling of premium motor spirit (PMS) had a negative impact on the overall supply chain of the product in addition to the possibility of funding of criminal activities with the proceeds.

He added, even with the removal of subsidy, the smuggling of PMS brings about extra cost burden on the country both in terms of security of supply and securing of the scarce foreign exchange used to import the product.

He reiterated the service poised to continue to protect Nigeria’s economic interest with dedication and integrity without fear or favour in tandem with the provision of the law.

Muhammad explained that inline with extant laws and the approval by the Comptroller General of Customs, the seized PMS will be auctioned to the general public at a token of N180 per litre.

He use the medium to pass a stern warning to smugglers to desist from their dastardly act as the long arm of the law will surely catch up with them in no distance time.