Adeboye Sowale, an Ogun State-based petroleum marketer, operates two fuel stations at Ado-Odo-Owode road in Idi-Ota.

On July 13, Sowale ran out of fuel at one of the stations and promptly thought to improvise pending the period a new supply arrived. In trying to be inventive, he decided to transport 2,200 litres of petrol in two plastic containers from his other fuel station that still had the commodity in abundance.

While executing the plan, it took the marketer just five minutes to transport the fuel from where it was in abundance to where it is urgently needed.

As soon as he got to his destination, however, he was accosted by some officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) stationed at the Idiroko command.

Despite his explanations, the officers labelled him a smuggler and seized both the containers of fuel and the van conveying them.

What then followed was a classic case of extortion, bullying and threat to life.

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THE ENCOUNTER

In an interview with FIJ, Sowale said he had been operating both fuel stations for two years.

“I operate two filling stations that are about five minutes drive from each other. They are both located along the Ado-Odo/Owode road, and whenever there is no product in one station, I transfer product from the other station that has,” Sowale said.

“That was exactly what we were trying to do in two 1,100-litre GeePee containers on July 13, 2024, when our van was intercepted by the Customs officers. We were even about getting to the filling station that had no fuel when they stopped our van.

“I have been operating both filling stations for two years. When the officers blocked us with their van, I showed them the waybill and tried explaining what was going on to do them but they refused to listen to me.

“They labelled me a smuggler and seized the containers of fuel.

“They then insisted that I followed them to their Idiroko Command office and while we were on our way, they stopped many times to ask me all sorts of questions.”

Sowale told FIJ that the officers eventually took him to a Customs check-point where he was made to speak with another officer who seemed to be their superior.

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“While speaking with the officer in charge, whose name I was unable to find out, I told him I wasn’t a fuel smuggler and again showed him the way bill,” Sowale said.

“They insisted on not releasing the product to me, saying I should go and come back when their comptroller was around. Before I left their post that day, I urged them to carry out a thorough investigation on the matter and they promised me they would.”

FUEL AUCTIONING AND THE DEMAND FOR N2m BRIBE

A few days later, Sowale would learn that the 2,200 litres of fuel the officers seized from him had been sold to another petroleum marketer in the same Idiroko area.

“I later went to the filling station the fuel was sold to and I found that it was true,” Sowale said.

“After this, one of the Customs officer later called me to come for the van that was seized from me on July 13. While on my way to their office, my thinking was that I would be told to take the bus and just leave.

“On getting their, however, they asked me to pay them N2 million before I could be allowed to go with it.

“At the end of the day, the Customs officers collected N1.45 million from me before I was allowed to drive the van away from their premises.”

READ ALSO: Undercover as a Smuggler

When FIJ asked Sowale how the customs officers received the payment, he said he paid the sum to them partly in cash and partly via transfer.

“Rather than collect the money directly from me, they used a middleman named Shina as the recipient,” he said.

“Interestingly, Shina is obviously not a Customs officer. He is just a civilian who carries out the instructions of the officers’. He also came across as a thug.

“I transferred N410,000 to Shina via an Access Bank account number 0032080907 belonging to one of his associates known as Olaifa Abraham Olasunkanmi. I then paid the remaining N1,040,000 in cash.

“When I felt I had been unfairly treated by the officials I submitted a petition to the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service through my lawyers, but nothing has been done on the matter.

“It is not as if I even operate my filling stations at a location that is very close to the border. They are located far away from the border.”

Sowale went on to say two Customs officers with the names Mukaila Lawal and “Mr. Phillips” played principal roles in how the product was intercepted and sold to another petroleum marketer, and how an additional N1.45 million was collected from him.

The 2,200 litres of fuel the customs officers re-sold was also valued at N1,584,000.

SHINA’S AUDIO CONVERSATION

First Audio Conversation Between Sowale and Shina

FIJ subsequently obtained two audio conversations in which Shina could heard convincing Sowale to make the N1.45 million payment on time so he could have his van back.

The conversation, held in Yoruba, went thus:

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Sowale: Hello, Alaye. Good morning.

Shina: Good morning.

Sowale: Well done on yesterday’s activities.

Shina: Thank you.

Sowale: Egbon, please, send your account number to me so that I can push this money into it. Did you hear what I said?

Shina: Yea.

Sowale: Help me send it so I can make this payment into it.

Shina: Okay.

Sowale: Er… Brother, Brother Shina.

Shina: I can hear you.

Sowale: Er… concerning the other payment you were talking to me about yesterday…

Shina: Which one?

Sowale: Er… I mean the 400…er… you know… er…you said we have to add 400 to it so it can be N1.4 million, yes?

Shina: Yes.

Sowale: I am still unable to gather the 400 as we speak. I am still unable to come up with it. However, I plan on sending the one in my account, the 500, I plan on pushing it to you now.

Shina: Okay.

Sowale: I, however, would like to suggest to you, Brother Shina, please, what I would like to suggest to you is that, please, once you receive this N1 million, please, help me do everything within your power to secure the van and ensure that it remains in your custody pending the time…

Shina: (Cuts in) The van… the van [sic]… I dare not collect half the stipulated sum from you and deliver same to the bosses. It won’t be right to give cash to one boss and not to give to another. Once you pay for the release of the van, it cannot be seized again. It’s better you look for the stipulated sum and ensure you get the van out. [mutters incoherent words] The DC Enforcement (Deputy-Comptroller, Enforcement) will be changed next week. Once they change the DC Enforcement, the newly-appointed person may resume and start asking questions concerning backlogs [sic]. It’s important you look for the money and get your van released to you. Once you push that [sic]… paying the money in bits and in pieces is not ideal. The opportunity you are enjoying now (in reclaiming the van) is by God’s grace. It’s not as if anyone pulled any special string. If you misuse the opportunity, it then means the efforts you made (in trying to recover the van) have gone to waste.

Sowale: Alright, I understand. Let me send the sum I have with me to you now.

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THE SECOND AUDIO CONVERSATION

Second Audio Conversation Between Sowale and Shina

In the second audio conversation between Shina and Sowale, the former could be heard informing the latter that he had instructed someone to send the receiving account number to him.

Sowale: Hello

Shina: Hello:

Sowale: Ehn?

Shina: I was the person who instructed the fellow to send it (account number) to you.

Sowale: He sent an Access Bank account number.

Shina: Access Bank, yes.

Sowale: You will receive the 400 (N400,000) on top of it (on top of the N1.45 million) now. I have 100 (N100,000) cash with me. If I am able to come to Idiroko today, I will bring the remaining cash along. I will, however, send the 400 to you now.

Shina: Okay.

Sowale: I will send it now.

Shina: Once you send it (the N400,000), send the receipt to me as well, so I can confirm.

Sowale: Should I send it to you on WhatsApp?

Shina: Yes, send it to me on WhatsApp.

Sowale: Okay, okay, I will send it to you now.

READ ALSO: 19 Days After, Nigeria Customs Yet to Address FIJ’s Smuggling Exposé 

MR. PHILLIPS

FIJ made several phone calls to the Customs officer Sowale described as Mr. Phillips for comments on the allegation on Friday, but his phone was switched off.

A WhatsApp message was subsequently sent to him on the same day and the double blue tick that subsequently appeared when the message got delivered to him indicated he had read it.

Rather than respond to the message, however, the Customs officer reached out to Shina to get Sowale to return the bus to the custom’s office in Idiroko.

“They are presently harassing and threatening Ahmed Olorunde, my driver,” Sowale told FIJ on Saturday morning.

“Shina is saying that if Ahmed doesn’t return the van to the customs office, it would cost him his life.

“I have instructed to report a case of threat to life at the police station in Ado-Odo.”

Sowale also said he has been inundated with phone calls from people he has never met before and that they have been requesting that the matter be kept away from the press.