By Nicholas Ojo
Segun John Owombo, a detained Customs officer who exposed how refined petroleum products, particularly Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, are being smuggled to some other African nations has revealed more details on the alleged Cartel’s bunkering operations through Nigeria’s borders.
Owombo who raised an alarm that the fuel smugglers are after his life, also accused the Customs authorities of torture and maltreatment following his detention in the aftermath of his expose.
The Superintendent of Customs (SC) in an earlier released video had narrated how he had apprehended smugglers on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at Malabo Checkpoint on Belel Road, Adamawa state, leading senior officials of the NCS to call on him to release the suspects.
In November 2022, Owombo was detained and transported to Abuja from Adamawa, where he met the Comptroller General of Customs. He underwent certain tests while in detention and was also issued a query for allegedly exposing “to the public the secrecy of the public service.”
The letter signed by SA BOMAI, Secretary/Ag. Assistant Comptroller-General (Board) and obtained by SaharaReporters read, “It has been brought to the notice of the Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) that your attitude to work and general conduct has been unsatisfactory:
“That you Svc No 44836 SC SI OWOMBO, while serving at Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone D as a proper Officer, involved in a case of disclosing official information, violation of oath of secrecy and act of unbecoming of a Public Officer.
“This constitutes a Serious Misconduct under the Public Service Rule (PSR) 030402 (i), (n) and (w) punishable under 030401 with Dismissal.
“2. If you have any representations to make as to why necessary disciplinary action, including dismissal from the Service should not be taken against you, you should submit same, to the satisfaction of the Board, in duplicate, through the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), within forty-eight (48) hours, of receipt of this query.
“Please note that if your representation is not received within this time limit, it will be taken to mean that you have none to make and necessary disciplinary action against you shall commence accordingly.
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“3. You will be allowed access to documents relevant to your defence. 4. Acknowledge receipt of this query on the copy attached herewith.”
However, in a new tape obtained by The Quest Times, Owombo revealed that his boss instructed him to send the number of tankers that cross the border, and also calculate their waybills.
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He lamented that for eight months, he has been grounded at the NCS headquarters in Abuja, where he is being subjected to various tortures. Noting that they carried out a series of medical tests on him.
Owombo revealed that he has the details of the two Nigerians who are mainly involved in bunkering and their operations. He further stated that if they denied it, he is ready to confront them
He said; “I work under Agagu as PA, he was the one that helped me to get this custom job. As a Yoruba man, I was taught to be truthful all the time. The most important thing is that they are stealing our fuel to neighboring countries and I have evidence.
“My boss instructed me to be sending to him the number of tankers that crosses the border and also told me be calculating waybills. Then, I asked him how possible was that. I also let him know that they don’t drop junkets in many of the waybills, The junket is what is used for bunkering, I have the sample on my phone.
“He told me to be gathering the junket and bring it to him Yola on Monday in the hotel they are staying in. They don’t come to checkpoint but in the hotel, they are big men, we are the slaves.
“I asked why some will pass without waybills, and why do we have to treat these tankers differently, he will tell me that Oga is interested. The most important thing is that we must know why Oga is interested in the matter.
“They will give us officer on duty 10,000 naira and give us fuel for our generator at the checkpoint.
“Since the incident happened, that I stopped fuel tankers, they didn’t call other people there, they only called me because am the only one that is not from their tribe.
“It’s eight months now that I have been grounded at the headquarters in Abuja subjecting me to various tortures. They carried out a series of medical tests on me, they said am into drugs. My family generation doesn’t do drugs, am a real Yoruba man from a royal family and hails from a good town.
“I discovered that they don’t like good things, that is why I called the attention of Baba Tinubu to the fact that they are stealing our fuel to Cameroon in my first video. Because I know that Tinubu will be the President before the Primary elections.
“I was in detention in Bauchi for five days, from there they brought me to Abuja and subjected me to different torture. I didn’t say that Custom is stealing fuel but that there bunkering cartels and we have to stop them.
“Any officer that is supporting or against me of exposing them, such officer is part of the bunkering cartel and we have to stop them at all cost because the fuel has been subsidized by Nigeria government for the benefit of Nigerians.
“I have the details of the two Nigerians that are involved mainly in the bunkering. If they denied, let them come and challenge me and let’s contact Nigeria telecommunication companies to check their phone calls, messages, and transactions.
“I have the details of how they run the bunkering, that is why they are after my life, my job, and trying to get rid of me.
“What is Baba Tinubu looking for? Nothing! God has blessed him with riches with his family, but he looks at it, that there is a need to fix this country and he decided to use his strength to make sacrifices, but many people don’t understand.
“I have been in open detention at the headquarters in Abuja because as a senior officer, they can’t put me in a cell. So they quarantine me there, whether I eat or I don’t eat is not of their business because they believe that I exposed them.
“I do not expose Custom because they don’t steal fuel, I only exposed the cartel. I expect the Custom and Federal Government to join hands with me to tackle the menace once and for all.
“The best way to tackle this is by removing subsidy, which will stop the cartel from taking fuel out of the Country to sell because they will run at loss,” the statement added.