Stolen fuel: NMDPRA seals filling stations, fines marketers

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has sealed filling stations and fined no fewer than three marketers for allegedly receiving stolen fuels.

This was following operations conducted by the personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service in August 2024.

The operations, according to a report containing the achievements of the service for August, led to the interception of seven petrol trucks, the sealing of 12 retail outlets, and the seizure of 466,000 litres of petrol and 23 vehicles.

The NCS added that seven suspects were prosecuted after an investigation into the matter.

“The NCS also intensified its ‘Operation Whirlwind’ to combat the smuggling of petroleum products, especially in border states. The operation over the months has led to the interception of seven PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) trucks, the sealing of 12 retail outlets, and the seizure of 466,000 litres of PMS and 23 vehicles.

“Investigations have led to the prosecution of seven suspects, and three marketers have been fined by the NMDPRA, with sealed filling stations transferred for further action.”

According to the report, the service also made 83 seizures, including 3,083 bags of foreign rice, 170,000 litres of petrol, 1,014 parcels of cannabis sativa, 23 vehicles, and other contraband items, with a total Duty Paid Value of N975,066,791.65 in August.

It stated, “To suppress smuggling to the barest minimum, the NCS recorded 83 seizures across various commands, including 170,000 litres of PMS; 3,083 bags of foreign rice, 1,014 parcels of cannabis sativa, 23 vehicles, and other contraband, with a total Duty Paid Value of N975,066,7.”

The service also said it generated a total of N293.3bn from import and excise duties in August 2024.

A breakdown of the figures showed that N277.5bn was collected from import duties, while excise duties accounted for N15.8bn.

These revenues, according to the report, reflected the NCS’s ongoing efforts to boost the government’s income through the effective monitoring and enforcement of customs regulations.

“In August 2024, the Nigeria Customs Service achieved significant milestones across key areas, including revenue generation, enforcement activities, trade facilitation, and strategic stakeholders’ engagement.