Operation Swift Response: 81 Division Troops, Customs Intercept Smuggled Petroleum Products 

Precious Ugwuzor

Troops of 81 Division Nigerian Army (NA) in a joint operation conducted by Operation SWIFT RESPONSE in charge of Joint Border Drill Patrol have intercepted two filling stations involved in smuggling petroleum products around the border town at Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State.

One of the filling stations with smuggled products

It would be recalled that following the escalation of activities of smugglers around the border communities across the country, the federal government inaugurated the Anti-smuggling Outfit Tagged Operation SWIFT RESPONSE.

According to acting Deputy Director 81 Division Army Public Relations, Major Olaniyi Osoba, the joint taskforce comprises the personnel of Army, Customs, Police, and other security agencies to checkmate activities of the smugglers which have a detrimental effect on the economy.

He said: "The troops deployed for anti-smuggling operations on patrol with the customs personnel and other security agencies during routine patrol observed that all the filling stations at Imeko Afon Local Government Area were closed.

Some of the recovered products

" Further investigation revealed that most of the filling stations closed during the day are active at night. Consequent to this revelation, the troops in conjunction with personnel of Operation SWIFT RESPONSE conducted a dawn operation on July 16 and discovered two filling stations siphoning Premium Motor Spirit into Jerry cans at Imeko.

"On sighting the troop, the suspected fuel attendant and buyers fled the scene.

"Accordingly, a search behind the station and its surroundings led to the recovery of filled jerricans already loaded into vehicles and ready to be smuggled out.

Some of the recovered products

" At the end of the operation, a total of two hundred and three (30 Litres) Jerricans were confiscated out of which one hundred and forty-eight were filled with PMS.

"Additionally, one dane gun, three generators, four vehicles, and six motorcycles were discovered hidden in the bush path.

"The operation was well coordinated in a professional manner and items seized have been handed over to the Nigeria Customs Service."