The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that its intensified efforts to crack down on fuel smuggling have paid off, with the seizure of nearly 200,000 litres of petroleum products in Adamawa State under Operation Whirlwind.
Announcing the latest development in Yola, Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi condemned the continued sabotage of Nigeria’s energy sector by smugglers, describing their actions as a direct assault on the economy.
“Despite the well-articulated economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to stabilise the energy sector, some unpatriotic elements remain determined to undermine these efforts through complex smuggling operations,” CGC Adeniyi said.
According to him, intelligence-driven operations by NCS officers in the Adamawa/Taraba Command led to the interception of 199,495 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), adding that “the operatives of Operation Whirlwind had successfully seized fuel, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦199,495,000, being smuggled across borders using tankers, jerry cans, and drums.”
Muhammad Bashir stated on Thursday that the CGC also detailed the tactics used by smugglers, including night-time river crossings at Dasin Waterways, illegal storage facilities near border towns, and concealment in unauthorised dispensing points.
“These economic saboteurs are determined to inflict hardship on law-abiding Nigerians, but let it be clearly understood that the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its mandate to protect our national economy,” he stated.
According to him, Customs operatives carried out targeted interceptions at strategic smuggling routes, including Mova, Dasin, the Galamba-Song axis, and the Mubi-Maiha corridor.
The CGC, however, assured Nigerians that the NCS would continue to adapt its strategies, strengthen intelligence gathering, and collaborate with security agencies to close in on smugglers, adding, “There will be no safe haven for them within our operational areas.”
In his closing remarks, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Finance and Administration, ACG Hussain Ejibunu, praised the Customs chief for his leadership and the officers’ dedication.
He also highlighted the importance of public cooperation, urging citizens to report suspicious activities to security agencies.
In line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and following the legal backing of a competent court of law, the seized petroleum products were auctioned to the residents of Adamawa State at the rate of ₦630 per litre in some designated filling stations, while those in 25-litre jerry cans will be disposed of at ₦10,000 each.
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