Smugglers taking Nigerian fuel to Cameroon attack Customs officers, try to burn officers in Adamawa

Officers attached to the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command were attacked while blocking the smugglers from ferrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to the Republic of Cameroon.

They were said to have intercepted the smugglers around Sahuda, a border town in the Mubi South Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

The smugglers reportedly turned violent and mobilised a mob who attacked the officers with clubs and daggers. They also smashed a patrol van in the process. They were about to set the officers ablaze when military officers came to their rescue.

The Comptroller of the Area Command, Salisu Abdullahi Kazaure, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Sunday.

Kazaure said an Incident Report had been forwarded to the customs headquarters in Abuja.

The Indent Report seen by NewMailNG reads in part, “On Sunday, March 17, 2024, at about 1130hours following the unwavering efforts of the Command Officers for effective border management and to suppress smuggling activities at the Command’s territorial borders, the Command operatives led by SC T Suleiman, comprising ASCI UU Abdullahi, ASCI MS Ibrahim, and others, while on information patrol along Mubi-Sahuda Road, intercepted three (3) tricycles (Keke Napep) loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) suspected to be smuggled goods being taken out of the country into the Republic of Cameroon.

“An attempt by the officers to prevent the smuggling of the product, the smugglers launched a mob attack on them and even tried to burn the officers alongside the official vehicles.

“The swift intervention and re-enforcement from the Nigerian Army saved the situation. However, one of our officers was terribly wounded, and the windscreen of one of the operational vehicles was smashed.

“The officers were able to secure, evacuate, and bring 45x25L Jerry Cans of the PMS from the tricycles to the station amidst the struggle.”