The Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Wednesday, swooped down on a flying boat allegedly smuggling petrol along Badagry-Tongeji waterways. The boat was reportedly on its way to the Republic of Benin.
Punch reports that two flying boats were said to have been sighted near Kese waterfront at about 2.30am on Wednesday during the squad’s regular night patrol of the waterways that link Badagary, Araromi-Onfo, Akere and Tongeji Island to the Republic of Benin.
Ogun state Command Public Relations Officer, Kareem Olanrewaju, said the command’s operatives ordered the drivers of the boats to stop but they refused.
According to him, “Instead of obeying the operatives, they pulled off in different directions. Our operatives pursued them, but one of the boats escaped into the Republic of Benin’s territorial waters, while the second was trapped in Nigerian waters.”
The two men inside the trapped boat then jumped into the sea, while their boat and 67 jerry cans of petrol were recovered. Altogether, the cans contained 1,675 litres of petroleum products.
Mr Olanrewaju noted that the petroleum products must have been stolen, insisting that “otherwise, the owners would have used the right route.”
He assured that the marine squad of the NSCDC has been instructed by the state’s Corps Commandant, Aboluwoye Akinwande, to commence 24-hour patrol in that axis to prevent illegal transportation of Nigeria’s petroleum products to neighbouring countries.
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