When Nigeria closed its border with Cameroon following a series of deadly attacks by the Islamist sect Boko Haram, fuel smugglers continued to develop crafty ways to transport their product. Now far from the watchful eyes of customs officers and soldiers, they are merrily carrying on their activities. Our correspondent met a gang of fuel smugglers.

By Eric Kouamo, Amchide

“Whether the border is closed or not, fuel will continue to flow. We know how to elude the police and customs at the border,” says a man sitting on a bicycle, which is the primary mode of transport between the neighbouring villages of Bama, on the Nigerian side of the border, and Amchide, on the Cameroonian side. The man, who is sweating heavily, admits: “We do not talk about this at all here. It’s a secret. Only those involved in the smuggling business know about it.”

In order to break the mystery, I posed as a fuel buyer, looking for this commodity which has become extremely scarce since the closure of the border. The quantity that I ordered – 50 litres of fuel – was insignificant in comparison to the volume of orders that are placed here daily. The smuggler takes me to a makeshift shed. “You pay here and then we will give you a time and place for the delivery”. Currently a liter of gas costs 569 CFA (0.87 euros) at a gas station while smuggled gas costs 475 CFA (0.73 euros) per liter. Before the closing of the border, smuggled fuel cost 325 CFA (0.50 euros).

There is no receipt for the transaction. “It’s a matter of trust between us.”

Silence and sneakiness
That trust is the foundation on which illegal transactions are based in this border region. The methods used are rather unconventional. Everything takes place after nightfall. “We cross the border to get fresh supplies on the Nigerian side. We leave at night and return before dawn,” a gang member said. In order elude the detection of guards, the smugglers ride their bicycles in the savannah, on makeshift tracks along the borderline.

The fuel cans are carefully fastened around the bicycle, leaving only enough space for the rider. Smuggling is an activity that requires a great deal of caution and patience, as it can sometimes take days. “It takes us about three days, sometimes more, to get into Nigeria. And when the border is heavily patrolled, we spend additional days in the bush, to avoid being caught,” explains the youngest member of the gang.

Danger and insecurity
Fuel smuggling is a dangerous activity that has a bad name in Cameroon. Many accidents associated with the illegal exploitation and transportation of fuel have claimed lives, often as a result of negligence.

Lighting a cigarette in these circumstances could be fatal. Yet, this has not deterred fuel smugglers in this border region. When asked about safety measures, some of them appeared rather unconcerned.

“We are not afraid of anything. It’s our job. We don’t even smoke, it is not allowed in our religion,” explains the youngster. But an older member of the gang seems more aware of the dangers: “There are no safety measures in place. It will only take a spark to set everything ablaze. You do not play with fuel, but, on the other hand, there is nothing one can do against bad surprises,” he says, admitting that fuel smugglers are indeed playing with their lives.