By Anthony Nwachukwu
In a massive clampdown on smuggling, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) “Operation Whirlwind” has intercepted 150,950 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) valued at N105,965,391 at various locations nationwide in one week.
Showcasing the seizures in Yola on Monday, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, said the exercise, launched barely two weeks ago to check illegal trade in petroleum products across Nigerian borders, has already started recording huge success against smuggling across the federation.
The CGC disclosed that the initiative, aimed at curtailing economic saboteurs, and with the solid support of the Office of the National Security Adviser, was in response to the alarming increase in fuel smuggling, and to defend the national currency, reduce the pressure attributable to the activities of smugglers and dismantle their cartels.
“In the past two weeks we have received credible intelligence on the relative stability of the price of PMS around the border states, this is easily attributed to disruptions in the operations of smugglers,” a statement from the National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, quoted Adeniyi to say.
Giving a breakdown, the CGC disclosed that the operatives attached to the initiative had within seven days of non-stop task intercepted two 45,000-litre tankers at Mubi, Adamawa State, on May 31 and June 1, while a total of 92,928 litres in 25 litres of different sizes of jerry can was seized between June 3rd and 7th at Mubi, Song-Wuroboki, Mubi-Sahuda Road and Gidan Madara-Sahuda Road, in Adamawa, and Illela in Sokoto State and Agbaragba creek in Mfum border of Cross River State.
He said a further 129,185 litres of PMS valued at N90,558,685 was seized from unpatriotic individuals, adding that “a combined diversion of 280,135 litres of PMS worth N196,524,075.50 raises serious economic concerns with broader implications on national security.”
Adeniyi lamented the unfortunate increase in smuggling of PMS across the borders of Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Taraba and Katsina states between April and May 2024, stating that the NCS deemed it necessary to collaborate with the NSA for a lasting solution, for Nigerians to enjoy the full benefits of the current government’s fuel price deregulation.
“Between April and May 2024, Borno and Kebbi states recorded 76 per cent and 59 per cent increase in evacuations, ranking among the top three states,” he explained. “On a year-on-year basis (May 2023 and May 2024), Sokoto and Taraba states recorded the most substantial increase in evacuations, with 247 per cent and 234 per cent respectively.”
