The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its crackdown on fuel smuggling, intercepting 199,495 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Adamawa State under Operation Whirlwind.
Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described fuel smuggling as a direct threat to Nigeria’s economy and energy sector, emphasizing that such illegal activities undermine government efforts to stabilize the country’s fuel supply.
“Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s well-structured economic reforms aimed at stabilizing the energy sector, some unpatriotic individuals continue to sabotage these efforts through illicit smuggling,” Adeniyi stated.
According to him, intelligence-led operations by the Adamawa/Taraba Command led to the seizure of fuel products worth ₦199,495,000. The smugglers were caught transporting fuel across the border using tankers, jerry cans, and drums.
Adeniyi revealed that smugglers employ various tactics, including night-time river crossings at Dasin Waterways, illegal storage facilities near border towns, and hidden dispensing points.
“These economic saboteurs are determined to cause hardship for law-abiding Nigerians, but the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in protecting our national economy,” he declared. “There will be no safe haven for smugglers within our operational areas.”
Key interception points such as Mova, Dasin, the Galamba-Song axis, and the Mubi-Maiha corridor have played a crucial role in disrupting smuggling activities.
Reaffirming the NCS’s commitment to curbing fuel smuggling, Adeniyi assured that the agency would continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance operational strategies, and collaborate with security agencies to dismantle smuggling networks.
Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (Finance and Administration), ACG Hussain Ejibunu, commended the Comptroller General for his leadership and praised the dedication of officers in tackling smuggling activities.