We Have Ended Smugglers’ Business With Fuel Subsidy Removal – NSA, Nuhu Ribadu Says

Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, the Nigerian National Security Adviser (NSA), has declared that the removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Tinubu has ended smuggling across the country as only few Nigerians were benefiting from the policy.

Ribadu stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the ongoing Comptroller General of Customs (CGCs) conference in Abuja, adding that Nigeria was only subsidising neighbouring countries as a result of smuggling that was going on in the border communities.

“I am from a border community and everyday I keep getting calls about how Customs are making life difficult for smugglers. Surprisingly, the people aiding them also include the military but now everything is in the past as all those generals and security forces enabling fuel smugglers have been taken away and replaced by a new team.

“Similarly, the subsidy that all of us are talking about that has brought NNPC to its knees was only serving neighbouring countries and not even Nigerians. We were subsidising Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Benin Republic, Ghana and the smart Nigerians who called themselves oil marketers,” he said.

Speaking further, the NSA attributed the large number of oil marketers in the country to the subsidy regime, which they were benefiting from.

“Nigeria is the only country in the world where everyone is an oil marketer because of subsidies. You can count about 100 filling stations from Abuja to Kaduna alone. However, the welfare we have given them is over and the business of smuggling fuel across the border has also ended,” he added.

He further stated that the recent initiatives by the Customs, especially operation Whirlwind to curtail smuggling has yielded significant results among other efforts.

Earlier in his remarks, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, has revealed that the service has hit its 2024 revenue generation target of N5.07 trillion.

According to him, as at November 12, 2024, the service has been able to collect N5.07 trillion.

He added that with over a month remaining for the year for end, the Service is estimated to surpass its revenue target by 10 per cent.

“I am pleased to announce that yesterday, 12 November 2024, at exactly 13:10 hours, the Nigeria Customs Service hit its 2024 revenue target of NGN 5.07 trillion, collecting NGN 5,079,455,088,194.38, with more than a month remaining in the fiscal year.

“This exceptional performance projected to exceed our target by 10 percent validates our partnership-driven approach to revenue collection and trade facilitation,” he stated.

Adeniyi added that as part of efforts to boost capacity, the Service has concluded plans to establish a Customs university.