Idi-Iroko border: community where everybody sells petroleum

Emeka Ibemere

Two years ago, January 1, 2012 to be precise, Nigerians of all ages marched to the streets of Nigeria in a protest against the oil subsidy removal policy of the Federal government that pegged the official pump price of fuel to N97 from N65.

At the same time across the Nigerian western border with Benin Republic, is a community booming in smuggling business. What are they dealing on? Smuggling ofpetroleum and other items.

 The community, despite the removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government last year, is still smuggling the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), to Cotonou Benin Republic, West African country. Everybody here is making brisk business, illegally exporting oil to neighbouring country with ease.

Last week, Daily Newswatch visited Idi- Oroko, a community on the fringe of border between Nigeria and Benin Republic; the residents were still seen smuggling oil to Cotonou in Benin.

Investigation showed that the community is aided by the smugglers and major oil marketers who make money through illegal exportation of the nation’s petroleum products, while the nation’s economy and her people suffer.

The community enjoys the massive cover of all sorts of smuggling even as police, customs, immigration, State Security Service men, and even the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corpsseat in akimbo and watch as the nation’s precious resources being siphoned out of the country illegally.

However, petroleum products are not the only item Idi-Oroko community smuggles at Idi- Iroko border.Otherform of smuggling also flourishes there. Houses in the villages that are closer to the neighbouring country, either by land or through the riversides is holding facilities for contraband goods such as textiles, palm oil, vegetable oil, rice and a host of others.

As you alight through the Idi-Iroko border to the Republic of Benin, a huge sprawling building that awaits a fresh visitor to the border is the building separating Nigeria from Benin Republic.

The building boarded a petrol station allegedly belonging to a major marketing firm, MRS.

If that is not enough, the motly crowd of petrol stations that dot the landscape from Sango Ota to Idi-Iroko is an indication that illegal fuel business, is the only business the residents of the border know how best to do.

Over 40petrol stations can be counted on both sides of the road between Ota and Idi-Iroko, a distance of not more than 30kilometres. Obviously, every 30 yards is a petrol station and in some cases, two petrol stations share the same fence or boundary.

While some of the petrol stations are new, others are in dingy conditions or in outright state of neglect.

Major oil marketing firms such as, Oando, Total,MRS and others are heavely represented on the Idi-oroko border axis.As major marketing firms pusheach other in competitionfor space and clients, other many unknown names ranging from EA to BA struggle for relevant in a show of smuggling business.

At the border, some of the stations were seen crowded with customers; majority of other stations remained empty; as there were no customers at the stations looking completely deserted.

Investigation showed that those stations that were deserted in the day time, only  come alive during nightfalls, as petrol are sold in jerry cans, drums and other kinds of containers, which after are ferried through the various routes into Igolo, the closest town to Nigeria on the Benin Republic side of the border.Okada, the popular commercial motorcycle is majorly used to ship out the petroleum products and other contraband goods.

In Igolo, Benin Republic, where filling stations are few,the smugglers are at their best as they disperse petroleum products in bottles, gallons and Jerry-Cans to motorists and okada riders.

To cross over to Igolo, motorists and commercial motorcycle operators bribe their ways to and from Nigeria as they grease the palm of the security agents at the border to ship their illegal wares to Cotonou.

The smuggling of petroleum products are carried out in jerry cans. The smartest ones would fill their car tanks with fuel, cross the border, emptied their tanks and return to the petrol stations on the Nigerian side for a refill.

Gbenga Olemeye, a Nigerian residentand a load carrier, confirmed that various illegal routes exist around the border and that to avoid the preying eyes of the security men at the border, the smugglers patronise the illegal routes.

Apart from the official entry point of border, there are60 illegal other routes into Benin republic.The 50 illegal routes are safe haven for some of the community smugglers, who move to the next country without passports.

Commercial motorcyclists ferry those who do not want to endure the rigours of passing through the official border, while some trek the various footpaths to Igolo.

Motorcycle operators charge as far as N1000 to N2000, per a trip across the border.

The community, smugglers and the oil marketers’ gain as the nation lose its resources to foreign country cheaply.

Among all the smuggled items, petrol and its associated products like kerosene and diesel are best sought for in Benin. While in Nigeria, they return with palm kernel, frozen fish, turkey and chicken and imported vegetable oil from the tiny Benin Republic.

Investigation by Daily Newswatch revealed that the smuggling trade is done like trade by barter.

The smugglers took petrolto Benin republicand return with palm oil, frozen fish, chicken, groundnut oil and turkey.

It was gathered that their palm oil is very good and it moves in the market very quickly than Nigerian palm oil and groundnut oil.

A check by our correspondent indicates that all the security agents at the border are culpable for high smuggling ring that flourishes at the border.

The security organizations lack the will to combating smuggling through the border. Most of the security officials have one agent or the other that smuggles petroleum or frozen chicken for them.

Investigation showed that the entire deal favours Benin Republic because Benin republic economy is not as rich as Nigerian’s economy.

The business of Benin republic on their side with Nigeria revolves around the business life of Idi-Oroko community.

The town serves as dominant economic hub of Benin Republi.The smuggling town has equally served as job centres for both nationals as they flood their on daily basis to make both ends meet.