There was a sobering drama at the Idi Iroko border on Wednesday, Ogun State, when two caskets presented to be carrying corpses turned out to be carrying smuggled jerry cans of petrol.
The joint anti-bunkering team of the Nigeria Customs Service intercepted the 23 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS)concealed in the caskets.
Abdullahi Maiwada, Customs Spokesman in the area, said in a statement that the fuel lading coffins were abandoned in a Mazda 626 with Lagos registration number LSD 617 CW.
“In continuation of the fight against smuggling, a customs joint special taskforce of Ogun I Command, Federal Operation Unit Zone “A” and CGC’s Strike Force intercepted 13 jerry cans of 25 litres and six jerry cans of 10 litres of PMS concealed clandestinely in two caskets.
“The said items were conveyed by a daredevil smuggler with the intention of smuggling the items across the border to a neighbouring country in a Mazda 626 with Lagos registration number LSD 617 CW.
“To this end, the command wishes to reiterate its stand that there is no retreat on the fight against smuggling in whatever disguise,”
The customs spokesman appealed to the public to embrace legitimate means of livelihood and avoid smuggling in all its ramifications.
He pointed that the customs were all out to halt new techniques initiated by economic saboteurs to perpetuate their illicit acts.
