Friday, January 31, 2025 - The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its crackdown on fuel smugglers, seizing nearly 200,000 litres of petroleum products in Adamawa State under Operation Whirlwind.
Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, condemned fuel
smuggling as a direct attack on Nigeria’s economy and energy sector, warning
that such illegal activities undermine government efforts.
“Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s well-structured economic reforms
aimed at stabilizing the energy sector, some unpatriotic individuals continue
to sabotage these efforts through illicit smuggling,” Adeniyi stated.
He revealed that intelligence-led operations by officers of the
Adamawa/Taraba Command led to the interception of 199,495 litres of Premium
Motor Spirit (PMS), valued at ₦199,495,000.
Smugglers were caught using tankers, jerry cans, and drums to transport fuel
across the border.
Detailing their tactics, Adeniyi explained that smugglers often rely on
night-time river crossings at Dasin Waterways, illegal storage sites near
border towns, and hidden dispensing points to move fuel illicitly.
“These economic saboteurs are determined to cause hardship for
law-abiding Nigerians, but the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in
protecting our national economy,” he declared. “There will be no safe haven for
smugglers within our operational areas.”
Strategic interception points such as Mova, Dasin, the Galamba-Song
axis, and the Mubi-Maiha corridor have been crucial in disrupting smuggling
attempts.
Reaffirming the NCS’s commitment to tackling fuel smuggling, Adeniyi
pledged continuous improvements in strategy, intelligence gathering, and
collaboration with security agencies to dismantle smuggling networks.
Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Finance and
Administration, ACG Hussain Ejibunu, commended the CGC for his leadership and
praised the officers’ dedication in the fight against smuggling.
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