By Billy Graham Abel, Yola
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its crackdown on petroleum smuggling, successfully intercepting 199,495 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) being illegally diverted across Nigeria’s borders. The latest operation under the ongoing ‘Operation Whirlwind’ has dealt a significant blow to economic saboteurs seeking to undermine the nation’s fuel supply chain.
Speaking at a press briefing in Yola, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, highlighted the persistent threat posed by fuel smuggling, which not only deprives Nigerians of essential petroleum products but also weakens national security and economic stability. Despite the government’s economic reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure an adequate domestic fuel supply, unscrupulous elements exploit illicit trade for profit.
To combat this menace, the NCS, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), established ‘Operation Whirlwind’ last year. This joint initiative has significantly enhanced border surveillance and enforcement efforts, leading to the seizure of 1,716,656 liters of petroleum products in 2024 alone.
Adewale said, in the service’ latest success, the NCS intercepted four fuel tankers carrying 97,000 liters of PMS, along with 1,363 jerry cans of 25 liters each (34,075 liters) and 311 drums of 220 liters each (68,420 liters). The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized products amounts to N199,495,000.
The recent crackdown focused on smuggling activities in the Zone ‘D’ Axis, covering the Adamawa/Taraba Command, where intelligence-led operations disrupted various smuggling techniques, including:
Night-time maritime smuggling at Dasin Waterways, where sophisticated boat networks were being used to transport fuel across borders.
Illegal storage facilities located within 500 meters to 1 kilometre of border communities, were dismantled.
Unauthorized dispensing points were used as smuggling reservoirs, where fuel tankers attempted concealment.
Cross-border movement prevention, particularly along the Galamba-Song axis, near the Cameroon border.
Strategic waterways interdictions led to the seizure of large quantities of petroleum products.
These operations, according to the customs boss, were executed at key smuggling corridors, including Mova, Dasin, Galamba-Song, and Mubi-Maiha, as well as crucial waterway points along the international border with Cameroon.
The NCS reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s strategic resources, ensuring that petroleum products intended for domestic use reach their rightful destinations, securing government revenue, and maintaining border integrity.
The customs boss also warned smugglers that there would be no safe haven for them as security agencies continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement efforts.
“We will continue to deploy additional resources, enhance intelligence-gathering capabilities, and strengthen partnerships with other security agencies to effectively combat economic sabotage,
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its mandate to safeguard the nation’s economy and justify the confidence placed in us by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Bashir Adewale stated.
The Nigerian Customs has pledged to introduce even stricter measures to curtail smuggling, ensuring that those who engage in economic sabotage face the full force of the law.