The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the interception of over 195,000 litres of smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as Petrol across Adamawa State, in what authorities described as one of the largest anti-smuggling breakthroughs under Operation Whirlwind.
The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Dr Adewale Adeniyi made the disclosure on Thursday, 4th December 2025, during a press briefing held at the Customs House in Yola.
The Comptroller General of Customs who was represented by the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Kolapo Oladeji said the operation recorded 55 separate confiscations within eight weeks, with a duty-paid value of ₦181.6 million adding that part of the seized petrol was auctioned to motorists at ₦600 per litre to prevent deterioration and hoarding.
According to him, the crackdown focused on notorious smuggling corridors including Mubi–Sahuda, Farang–Belel, Gurin–Fufore, Maiha, Wuro Bokki, Ribadu waterways, Muninga and Bakin Kogi, where smugglers continue to channel fuel toward Nigeria’s borders despite repeated clamp downs.
He emphasized that the seizures were in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive on national energy and food security, stressing that fuel smuggling constitutes economic sabotage that worsens hardship by draining the nation’s scarce resources.
The Customs leadership also praised residents of border communities for consistently providing intelligence that has helped uncover several smuggling syndicates.
He commended operational units and other stakeholders whose cooperation ensured the success of the recent seizures.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Comptroller of the Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, Garba Bature Bashir, notes that the anti-smuggling campaign—driven by timely shared intelligence—was yielding significant results in safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial borders.
He laments smuggling activities distort legitimate trade, hinder industrial development and undermine economic growth, urging all stakeholders to remain committed to the fight.
Other stakeholders who spoke during the briefing applauded the Customs Service and the Operation Whirlwind team for their relentless pursuit of economic saboteurs, describing their efforts as a true service to the nation and a clear message that there is no safe haven for smugglers in Nigeria
The Nigeria Customs Service reaffirmed its resolve to sustain pressure on smuggling cartels, assuring Nigerians of continued vigilance in protecting the nation’s economic and security interests.
