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Fuel scarcity may be looming in Kano soon as petroleum tanker drivers have vowed to embark on industrial action over alleged extortion and harassment by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Besides, the tanker owners accused Customs of illegal detention of their trucks with fully loaded products in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina states, thereby frustrating supplies in the North West.
Speaking in Kano, North West Zonal Chairman of National Association of Tankers Owners (NATO), Sani Danfulani lamented that Customs officers have decided to indiscriminately impound their trucks loaded with products worth millions of naira without recourse to economic consequences.
Danfulani, who also alleged that Customs officers now use Federal Government’s ban of movement of petroleum products within 20 kilometers away from border areas to extort and impound tankers, wondered why the agency would arrest trucks in Kano and Jigawa states, not less than 200 kilometers away from any border post.
He challenged the activities of Customs over what he considered as illegal arrests, claiming that only the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) empowered by law could determine the movement of tankers and whether or not such products were being diverted.
“The Customs has no authority to arrest tankers within cities because their activities remain at the borders. They accused us of diversion and we considered that allegation as act of ignorant.
What they are capitalizing on is the federal government policy that restricts tankers from going 20 kilometers to the border and we, as law-abiding citizens, have never flouted government’s laws.
Reacting to the allegation, Spokesman, Kano Area Command of the Customs, Danbaba debunked the allegation, saying tankers that were arrested along Kano-Daura road were conveying products meant for Kura, Kano, Birnin-Kudu and Gumel.
“The trucks containing petrol were meant to be diverted and smuggled out of the country,” he said.
