The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) led Joint Borders Patrol Team (JBPT) Sector 2, South West Zone, has said that sealing and unsealing of petroleum filling stations within the zone over activities of illegal fuel bunkering is always in line with the directive and approval of the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA).
In response to Pinnacle Time inquire regarding activities of rogues filling stations located within border townships, officers of the JBPT said revenues generated from penalties for affected filling stations are also domiciled with the ONSA.
Speaking on closed petrol stations and the settlements or fines purportedly paid by the owners, officials of the JBPT also known as Border Drill, averred that no station is sealed or re-opened without the approval of the ONSA; hinting that all information including fines and payments are domiciled with the NSA.
While the border drill operatives have washed their hands off the illegal brisk business, there are reports that sanctioned fuel stations always return to the lucrative business after reported settlements of between N3million to N7million per station. It is however unclear whether the alleged settlements pass for official penalty or just administrative fine, or both.
According to the Officer-in-Charge of Gbaji Axis, “No filling station is sealed without the knowledge of the National Security Adviser, because we operate under the NSA.
“All the records are with them, we don’t also reopen sealed filling stations without approval, so the NSA Office has all the reports.”