Police bust petrol smugglers, arms and human traffickers in border raids

The Nigeria Police Force says it has busted multiple smuggling and trafficking rings, seizing 103 jerrycans of petrol and intercepting arms, drugs, and human traffickers in a wave of coordinated border operations.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, who announced the clampdown on Friday, said the raids were part of an intensified crackdown on economic saboteurs and cross-border criminal gangs bleeding the country’s resources.

According to Hundeyin, 60 jerrycans of petrol stashed in a Toyota Starlet and headed for Cameroon were intercepted by border patrol operatives at Mubi, Adamawa State. Another 43 jerrycans transported on three motorcycles were seized along a bush path leading into Benin Republic.

Two fuel-laden trucks were also abandoned by fleeing smugglers in Gembu, Taraba State, following a police chase. And in Katsina, a motorcyclist attempting to ferry petrol into Niger Republic dumped his consignment on sighting patrol teams.

But the raids weren’t just about fuel. Hundeyin revealed that operatives in Ikom, Cross River State, arrested two suspects with locally made pistols hidden inside their vehicle, while at Imeko, Ogun State, police recovered a pump-action rifle, ten cartridges, and 20 wraps of cannabis.

The crackdown also exposed human trafficking networks.
“At Illela in Sokoto State, a 48-year-old trafficker and his accomplice were arrested while attempting to traffic a 25-year-old victim into Niger Republic,” Hundeyin disclosed. “In Bachaka, Kebbi State, four suspects, including two women were intercepted en route to Libya and Italy through Niger Republic without valid travel documents. The victims were rescued and placed in protective custody.”

Smuggled vehicles and stolen goods also featured in the haul. A blue Toyota Corolla suspected stolen in Niger Republic was recovered at Jibia, Katsina State, while in Daura, officers arrested a suspect with a Toyota Carina loaded with illicit drugs. Another Daura arrest yielded 26 suspected stolen Android phones. In Oyo State, a Nissan Micra smuggled in from Benin Republic was seized.

The police said operatives in Mubi, Adamawa, even tracked down a notorious cross-border burglar notorious for motorcycle theft and serial shop break-ins, further crippling criminal networks.

“These coordinated operations attest to the unflinching devotion of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding national security, protecting the economy, and ensuring the safety of Nigerians across all border corridors,” Hundeyin said.