Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), under Operation Whirlwind, interception and impounded smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) worth N63.4 million in the Lagos-Ogun border corridor, and has commenced an immediate auction of the seized product to the public at a subsidised rate.
Operation Whirlwind, launched by the NCS to combat PMS smuggling, has, within a year, recorded multiple high-profile seizures and continues to intensify efforts at all border areas.
At a press briefing held at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Hussein Ejibunu, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, described the seizure as a significant blow to fuel smuggling cartels sabotaging Nigeria’s economy.
“There is no safe haven for smugglers or economic saboteurs. We will continue to disrupt their activities and reduce them to the barest minimum,” ACG Ejibunu said.
He said that operatives intercepted 1,577 jerrycans of 25 litres each, totalling 39,425 litres of PMS, and eight vehicles used for illegal transportation.
He said the items were seized in smuggling-prone locations such as Ilaro, Imeko, Badagry, Owode, and Ajilete, with investigations confirming the fuel was destined for illegal export across the border to the Republic of Benin.
The seized PMS has a duty-paid value of N39,425,000, while the vehicles are worth N24,000,000, bringing the total value to N63,425,000.
Ejibunu, while appreciating the dedication of officers, announced that the seized fuel would be sold to the public at N10,000 per 25-litre jerrycan, following the approval of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.
“This subsidised sale is to ensure that Nigerians benefit directly from the seizure. It also serves as a deterrent to economic saboteurs,” he said.
He acknowledged the strong collaboration with stakeholders such as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Office of the Attorney General, noting their roles in enabling effective operations.