The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Wednesday, conducted a public auction of 43,750 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) intercepted by the “Operation Whirlwind” team along the Niger/Kwara axis.
The auction, which took place and covered by 9japarrot media at the Kwara Area Command in Ilorin, followed the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, as part of the federal government’s intensified efforts to combat the smuggling of petroleum products to neighboring countries.
The National Coordinator Operations Whirlwind Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abubakar Aliyu, while addressing the press and stakeholders, revealed that the intercepted consignment consisted of 1,510 jerry-cans (25 litres each) and 30 drums (200 litres each). The seized products have an estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N43.75 million.
According to the Coordinator, the seizures were made following credible intelligence at several strategic flashpoints, including Kaiama, Shiya, Kenu, Boriya, Luma, Bokuru-Baruten, Ilesha-Baruba, Taberu, and Salla-Gwanara.
“The smuggling of petroleum products constitutes a serious act of economic sabotage. Beyond depriving the nation of critical revenue, it distorts the supply chain, leading to scarcity and inflated costs that unfairly burden honest Nigerians,” he said.
He further acknowledged the strategic support of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the technical partnership with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in tracking the illicit flow of PMS.
In his welcome address, the Customs Area Controller for Kwara Command, Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, commended the synergy between the command personnel and the Operation Whirlwind unit.
He noted that the successes recorded were a result of robust intelligence sharing and collaboration with sister agencies.
The event was attended by various heads of security agencies, including the Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kwara, DSC Jamilu Abdul Usman, the Controller of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), ACC Okuola Adebayo and representatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
Visuals from the press gathering
9japarrot reports that the Customs Service warned that the “era of impunity” for smugglers has ended, vowing to continue dismantling criminal networks that threaten the nation’s economic stability.