Three arrested as NSCDC intercepts ‘137 kegs of petrol being smuggled to Benin Republic’

The Kwara command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says its operatives have arrested three suspected petrol smugglers.

The agency also said 137 kegs of petrol “being smuggled into Benin Republic” were recovered from the suspects.

Babawale Afolabi, spokesman of the Kwara command of the NSCDC, in a statement on Saturday, said the suspects were intercepted along the Nigeria-Benin Republic border.

“The tactical anti-vandal team of the corps acted on intelligence information and rounded up the three suspects on their way to Benin Republic with the petroleum products loaded inside 137 kegs on Dec. 17,” he said.

The spokesman, however, said security operatives are on the trail of one of the suspects who is on the run.

According to him, the petroleum product was loaded from a filling station in Kaiama, headquarters of Baruten LGA of Kwara state.

Afolabi also said the filling station has been sealed off.

According to the statement, Ayinde Yusuf, head of the anti-vandal unit, who led the operation, warned smugglers in the state to desist from their activities.

“The NSCDC and other security agencies are all out to make life difficult for the criminals,” he added.