Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, says it has intercepted three fuel tankers conveying 154,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, along the Badagry corridor, thwarting what it described as an attempted diversion of petroleum products across the border.
The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this during a handover and public auction at the Customs Training College, Ikeja.
Aliyu said the seizures were the result of sustained intelligence-led surveillance across the Owode Apa, Seme and Badagry axis, long regarded as vulnerable border routes.
“Their interception was not accidental; it was the outcome of intelligence-driven operations, vigilance, and the uncompromising resolve of Operation Whirlwind to safeguard Nigeria’s economic and energy security,” he said.
According to him, the intercepted tankers were loaded with 60,000 litres, 49,000 litres and 45,000 litres respectively, in contravention of established Standard Operating Procedures governing the movement of petroleum products.
He further revealed that within nine weeks, operatives intensified monitoring across critical border communities, leading to the seizure of 1,630 jerry-cans of PMS, each containing 25 litres, totalling 40,750 litres, with a Duty Paid Value of N40.75 million.
“The transportation and movement of petroleum products are governed by strict regulatory frameworks designed to prevent diversion, smuggling, hoarding and economic sabotage,” Aliyu stated.
Warning operators against exploiting border routes, he added: “The border corridors of Owode Apa, Seme, and Badagry remain sensitive economic arteries. However, let it be clearly stated that under our watch there will be no safe haven for economic saboteurs.”
In line with inter-agency collaboration, the seized tankers were handed over to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, for further regulatory action.
A representative of the Authority, Grace Dauda, commended the synergy between Customs and other agencies, reaffirming the regulator’s mandate to ensure petroleum products designated for domestic consumption are not diverted outside Nigeria.
To reinforce transparency and accountability, the seized PMS stored in jerry-cans was auctioned to members of the public in accordance with extant regulations, underscoring the Service’s commitment to proper asset disposal.
