Another border leakage: Buhari fires security personnel over smuggled 295 petroleum tankers

The incidence of border leakage and the associated smuggling activities at a time the Nigerian borders have been closed by the federal government has become disturbing to President Muhammadu Buhari. The president, therefore, at the weekend chided security operatives at Nigeria’s border posts for the release of 295 petroleum tankers smuggled into the country without clearance from the appropriate authorities. He ordered for immediate investigation by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno; an action that led to the replacement of the security personnel.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, indicated that President Buhari lamented that it was disheartening that the smuggled petroleum tankers were freed last Monday by some security officials assigned the responsibility of protecting the country’s borders.

The President, thereafter, directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, to set up a board of inquiry to investigate the crime.

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Adesuna noted that following the President’s directive, the NSA recommended that all officials, including civilians security operatives found to have connived to undermine the efforts of the government, should be withdrawn from the border drill and severely sanctioned by their respective organisations.

President Buhari was said to have accepted the recommendations and directed the immediate withdrawal and replacement of all those found culpable.

President Buhari further directed that their organisations should immediately take appropriate disciplinary actions to apply suitable sanctions.

The President in an official engagement commissioned ‘Operation Swift Response’ as a border drill exercise to checkmate the illegal activities of smugglers across the country’s borders.

Adesina explained that the ‘Operation Swift Response’ is part of the Federal Government’s effort to ensure food security and improve the local production of goods at competitive prices.