Nigeria Customs Auctions 14,875 Litres of Seized Petrol Worth N14.8m
- Nigeria Customs Service auctioned 14,875 litres of seized petrol worth N14.875 million in Lagos
- A total of 595 jerrycans were seized across multiple border communities in Lagos and Ogun states
- The operation was carried out under Operation Whirlwind using intelligence-led enforcement
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The Nigeria Customs Service has auctioned 14,875 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) worth N14.875 million to the public in Lagos after intercepting the products from smugglers.
The exercise, conducted under Operation Whirlwind, took place on Tuesday at the Customs Training College in Ikeja, according to officials of the Service, PUNCH reported.
Source: Facebook
Customs intercepts smuggled fuel
Speaking during the auction, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Abubakar Aliyu, said the petrol was seized while being illegally transported to a neighbouring country.
He explained that the products, with a duty-paid value of N14.875 million, were intercepted within the Lagos/Ogun axis in Zone A.
According to him, the seizures were made over the past four weeks following intelligence-led operations.
“Over the past four weeks, acting on credible intelligence, our operatives successfully dismantled a coordinated smuggling network involved in the illegal exportation of PMS,” Aliyu said.
Details of seizure operations
Aliyu disclosed that a total of 595 jerrycans, amounting to 14,875 litres of PMS, were intercepted across key border communities, including Imeko, Ilara, Ilaro, Idiroko, and Seme-Badagry.
He noted that the products were earmarked for illegal export, in violation of national laws governing petroleum distribution.
The Customs official said the seized fuel was auctioned to reintegrate it into the domestic market and prevent diversion into illegal channels.
He added that the auction process involved relevant government agencies, security personnel, civil society organisations, and the media to ensure transparency and accountability.
Smuggling threatens economy, security
Aliyu warned that petroleum smuggling undermines the economy by depriving the government of revenue, disrupting supply chains, and creating artificial scarcity.
He added that such activities also fuel criminal networks and pose risks to national security.
Operation Whirlwind, he explained, is a targeted initiative aimed at curbing the illegal cross-border movement of petroleum products and safeguarding Nigeria’s energy security.
Aliyu acknowledged the role of the Office of the National Security Adviser, led by Nuhu Ribadu, in strengthening coordination among agencies.
He also commended the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority for its regulatory support.
In addition, he praised the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for providing leadership that has enhanced the operation’s effectiveness.
Source: UGC
Customs issues warning to smugglers
Aliyu warned that security agencies would continue to track and dismantle smuggling networks across the country.
He urged residents of border communities to support enforcement efforts by providing timely and accurate information, stressing that tackling smuggling requires collective responsibility.
Customs seizes bags of rice, drugs
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Ikeja of the NCS, seized prohibited items valued at N3.32 billion across Lagos and neighbouring areas.
The seizures, which include thousands of bags of foreign rice and a large consignment of synthetic drugs, were announced by the Area Controller of the unit, Aliyu Gambo.
According to Gambo, the interceptions were the result of intelligence-led operations following a reorganisation of patrol strategies and enforcement methods by the unit.
Source: Legit.ng
