The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its fight against fuel smuggling, intercepting 199,495 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in a major operation across Adamawa and Taraba states.
The seized fuel, valued at N199.5 million, was being illegally transported for export using sophisticated concealment methods.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, made the disclosure in Yola on Thursday, stating that “the smuggled fuel was being transported in four fuel tankers carrying a combined 97,000 litres, along with 1,363 jerry cans of 25 litres each, amounting to 34,075 litres. Additionally, 311 drums of 220 litres each, totalling 68,420 litres, were confiscated.”
“The operation targeted critical smuggling routes, including Mova, Dasin, Galamba-Song, and the Mubi-Maiha axis, while waterway patrols along the Dasin River played a crucial role in thwarting large-scale smuggling attempts.”
The customs boss said that the smugglers employed various tactics.
“The smugglers now use night-time river crossings via the Dasin Waterways using specialized boats, hidden storage sites located within 500 meters to one kilometre of border towns, and unauthorized dispensing stations that doubled as smuggling hubs. Concealment in fuel tankers along the Galamba-Song axis near Cameroon further underscored the sophistication of these illicit activities,” he added.
He described the activities of the smugglers as economic sabotage, warning that fuel smuggling depletes natural resources and undermines Nigeria’s economic stability.
Reaffirming its commitment to border security, the NCS pledged to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency collaboration to ensure that smugglers find no haven.
This latest seizure follows the interception of 1.7 million litres of smuggled petroleum products in 2024 alone, demonstrating the sustained momentum of Operation Whirlwind.
With the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s focus on economic reforms and energy stability, the Customs Service assured Nigerians of
its unwavering commitment to curbing smuggling, protecting national assets, and securing the country’s borders.
