The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), under Operation Whirlwind, has seized 38,700 litres of petrol and a vehicle valued at N63.1 million over an alleged attempt to smuggle the products out of the country through the Adamawa corridor.
The coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Aliyu Abubakar, disclosed this in Yola on Wednesday, saying the seizures were recorded during operations in the zone over the past six weeks.
Abubakar said the operation remained committed to curbing smuggling, protecting the national economy and safeguarding public safety.
He explained that the seizures followed actionable intelligence on illegal smuggling activities along border corridors. The total duty-paid value of the petrol and vehicle was N63,115,000.
According to him, the seized petrol would be auctioned to the public because of its inflammable nature, in line with the Customs Act, 2023, while the proceeds would be remitted to the Federation Account.
He warned smugglers to desist from the illegal trade and pledged that the operation would work to dismantle smuggling cartels. He also appreciated stakeholders for their support and cooperation.
The Adamawa Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Dr Bashir Sirajo, commended the Customs Service for its partnership in tackling petroleum smuggling.
Represented by the Head of Operations, Humuri Timothy, Sirajo said smuggling harmed the national economy and could cause artificial scarcity of petroleum products.
