The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has continued its efforts to crack down on smuggling activities in Adamawa State.
The NCS, through its Operation Whirlwind, recorded a milestone achievement within six weeks as it made significant seizures worth over N93 million.
At a media briefing held on Friday at the Customs House in Yola, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller Abubakar Lucky Ali, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the operation is part of a broader strategy to safeguard Nigeria’s energy security.
DCG Ali said Operation Whirlwind has been repositioned to confront smuggling activities through intelligence-driven operations and enhanced collaboration with other security agencies.
According to him, “This renewed strategy has yielded tangible results in disrupting illegal activities across key borders in Adamawa and Taraba states.”
“In just six weeks, we recorded 47 seizures across multiple smuggling flashpoints, with a total duty-paid value of N93,029,800,” he disclosed.
“The seized items include 64,410 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, stored in 2,550 jerry cans of 25 litres each, alongside three drums of 220-litre capacity. Two vehicles used in conveying the products were also confiscated.”
These interceptions were carried out across several strategic locations, including the Mubi–Sahuda axis, Farang–Belel, Gurin–Fufore corridor, Maiha, Mubi, and Pariya–Wuro Bokki routes, areas identified as major smuggling channels.
Ali added that the seizures were made in line with relevant provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, noting that officers operated within the legal framework empowering them to patrol, intercept, and confiscate smuggled goods.
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Nigeria Customs officers also intercepted a used DAF fuel tanker loaded with 50,000 litres of PMS along the Mubi–Uba road in the early hours of April 15.
According to the DCG, “the tanker was suspected to be involved in product diversion and will be handed over to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for further action in line with inter-agency collaboration protocols.”
He noted that while PMS sells for about N1,330 per litre in Nigeria, the price rises significantly to approximately N2,196 in Cameroon and N1,709 in the Benin Republic.
“This wide price gap continues to fuel smuggling activities. A smuggler transporting 60,000 litres of PMS across the border could make a profit margin exceeding N51 million,” he said, describing the trend as a major economic threat.
He further warned that smuggling syndicates are well organised and deeply entrenched, with sophisticated networks and multiple transit routes designed to evade law enforcement.
He assured Nigerians that Operation Whirlwind remains committed to countering every tactic employed by smugglers.
“We will not relent until smuggling activities are reduced to the barest minimum in Adamawa and across the country,” he said.
He also announced that the seized petroleum products would be auctioned to the public in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Act, with proceeds remitted into the Federation Account.
He commended the leadership of the NCS, the Office of the National Security Adviser under Nuhu Ribadu, and the NMDPRA for their support and collaboration.
He also acknowledged the contributions of officers from the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command and other security agencies, as well as community stakeholders.
He called on members of the public to support the anti-smuggling campaign by providing timely information, urging citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
“The fight against smuggling is a collective responsibility. With the support of the media and the public, we can protect our economy and ensure national security,” he added.
