The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its fight against petroleum smuggling with the interception of 28,300 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, in Lagos and Ogun states. The seized fuel, valued at N35.8 million, was being diverted through various concealment methods and smuggling techniques.
Addressing journalists on Monday in Ikeja regarding the latest seizure, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, stated that the effectiveness of Operation Whirlwind, a special task force launched to curb cross-border fuel smuggling, led to the confiscations.
He said the operation, which ran between January 11 and February 23, 2025, resulted in the seizure of 1,132 jerry cans (25 litres each), totaling 28,300 litres of PMS, along with three vehicles used for smuggling. These vehicles include a Toyota Camry with chassis number JTDAT1237101922C7, a Volkswagen with Lagos registration number AAA-928FY and chassis number WVW222312LE114785, and another Toyota Camry with chassis number 4T1BG22KXXU582542.
Adeniyi said the seizures took place along key smuggling routes, with the Badagry-Seme corridor accounting for 35 percent of the intercepted fuel, followed by the Imeko-Afan axis with 25 percent, the Ilaro-Ojodan network with 22 percent, and the Owode-Ajilete route with 18 percent.
He noted that these routes, known for their proximity to Nigeria’s western border, are frequently exploited by smugglers due to price disparities with neighbouring Benin Republic.
The Comptroller-General described petroleum smuggling as a major economic threat, depriving Nigeria of vital revenue, disrupting domestic supply chains, and compromising energy security. He stated that each litre of fuel smuggled out of the country is a direct attack on Nigeria’s economic sovereignty.
He further disclosed that Customs authorities have identified new smuggling trends, including daylight smuggling operations, which were previously conducted mostly at night, secret storage sites within border communities to avoid detection, modified vehicles with hidden compartments to transport fuel undetected, and smaller, frequent shipments instead of large single hauls.
Adeniyi stated that since its launch, Operation Whirlwind, a joint effort by the Nigeria Customs Service, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has resulted in total seizures of 273,670 litres of PMS worth N273.94 million.
According to him, previous operations in Adamawa, which led to the seizure of 199,495 litres, and in Kwara, where 45,875 litres were confiscated, have demonstrated the operation’s nationwide reach.
He said the crackdown aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s security and economic policies, which emphasise inter-agency collaboration and intelligence-driven enforcement.
Adeniyi disclosed that Customs officials plan to integrate additional security agencies, including the Nigerian Navy and the Civil Defence Corps, to strengthen border surveillance and combat fuel smuggling more effectively.
Looking ahead, he said the Customs Service also plans to deploy advanced surveillance technology in high-risk areas, establish specialised rapid response teams for petroleum interdiction, implement community engagement programs to boost intelligence gathering, and develop a risk assessment framework to optimise resource deployment.
The Comptroller-General vowed that smugglers would find no safe haven within the service’s operational areas.
