The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a total of 273,670 litres of smuggled petroleum products valued at N273,940,000, across multiple states under its special enforcement initiative, Operation Whirlwind.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos, emphasising that the fight against petrol smuggling is critical to Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and energy security.
Speaking at the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) in Ikeja, Lagos, the Customs boss provided a breakdown of seizures made in key regions.
He said: “In Adamawa State on January 30, officers intercepted 199,495 liters worth N199,495,000, while in Kwara on February 17, an additional 45,875 liters valued at N38,645,000 were confiscated.
“The most recent seizures in Lagos and Ogun states further highlight the scale of this illicit trade. Between January 11 and February 23, NCS operatives in Zone A confiscated 28,300 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N35,800,000.”
The seized items, he noted, included 1,132 jerry cans of 25 liters each and three smuggling vehicles – Toyota Camry (Chassis No. JTDAT1237101922C7), Volkswagen (Lagos Reg. No. AAA-928FY, Chassis No. WVW222312LE114785), and Toyota Camry (Chassis No. 4T1BG22KXXU582542).
The Customs Chief revealed that intelligence-led operations exposed several major smuggling corridors. The Badagry-Seme corridor, he stated, accounted for 35 per cent of seizures, followed by the Imeko-Afon axis (25 per cent), the Ilaro-Ojodan network (22 per cent), and the Owode-Ajilete route (18 per cent).
“Our comprehensive analysis of the pattern of seizures across the Lagos/Ogun axis reveals significant insights into the dynamic smuggling tactics and dominant routes being exploited by these economic saboteurs,” he stated.
According to the CGC, the Service has observed a “shift in smuggling tactics”, as smugglers now favour “daylight smuggling” (9 AM – 2 PM) instead of night-time movements, “community-based storage” in border towns to stage smaller, discreet shipments, “modified vehicles” with concealed compartments and falsified registration, and “smaller-volume movements” using multiple trips to evade detection. To further tighten enforcement, Adeniyi disclosed that the Service will be deploying advanced surveillance technology along high-risk routes, specialised tactical response teams trained in petroleum product interdiction, stronger community engagement for intelligence gathering and an intelligence-driven risk assessment framework to optimise resource allocation.
He also praised the officers of Operation Whirlwind for their dedication despite the operational risks, assuring that Customs will continue to safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests and ensure that petroleum products meant for domestic consumption serve the needs of Nigerian citizens.
