The Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has rejected a N1.5 million bribe offered by vandals involved in the illegal dismantling of railway tracks.
Area Comptroller Kamal Muhammad disclosed this while briefing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Sokoto.
On June 8th, operatives from the Command apprehended a notorious cartel specializing in railway track vandalism, intercepting a truck carrying a 20-foot container filled with vandalized tracks and arresting three suspects.
Controller Muhammad elaborated that the suspects, unable to provide proper authorization from the Federal Ministry of Transport, attempted to bribe the officers with N1.5 million, including an advance payment of N300,000.
Demonstrating their commitment to integrity, the officers detained the suspects and confiscated the truck and cash at the Command Headquarters.
Muhammad emphasized the collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in securing national assets, confirming that the suspects and confiscated items would be handed over to the NSCDC for further investigation and prosecution.
In a separate operation, the Command, in alignment with the directives of the Comptroller General of Customs to curb fuel smuggling, intercepted 11,270 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS).
This operation, involving the Zone “B” whirlwind tactical team, aimed to address the detrimental effects of fuel smuggling on Nigeria’s supply chain and economic security.
Comptroller Muhammad announced that the seized PMS would be auctioned at N180 per liter and warned smugglers of the severe legal consequences awaiting them, reinforcing the NCS’s dedication to safeguarding Nigeria’s economic interests.
