Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intensified its crackdown on cross-border fuel smuggling, with the Kebbi Area Command announcing the interception of 35,725 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, valued at N21.4 million.
The seizures, made through coordinated anti-smuggling operations with Operation Whirlwind, mark a major blow against fuel diversion syndicates exploiting Nigeria’s porous borders.
Speaking during his maiden press briefing in Birnin Kebbi, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mahmoud Matawalle, said the operation demonstrates the Service’s renewed resolve to protect the economy and curb the persistent menace of petroleum smuggling.
“Fuel smuggling is a major issue in Nigeria. Smugglers use our borders to take fuel to other countries, hurting our economy and causing shortages at home. The Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to stopping these acts and protecting our national interests,” Matawalle stated.
According to the Area Controller, the joint operation with Operation Whirlwind led to the interception of 14,750 litres of PMS with a Duty Paid Value, DPV, of N8.85 million, while Kebbi Command officers independently seized another 20,975 litres valued at N12.58 million.
The total 1,429 jerry cans of fuel were confiscated at key smuggling flashpoints including Bagudo, Lolo, Tsamiya, Bunza, Dankingari, Kamba, and Zuru/Mahakala.
Matawalle explained that the seized petroleum products will be auctioned in line with existing laws, with proceeds remitted to the Federal Government.
Beyond anti-smuggling gains, the Command has also posted an impressive rise in revenue performance. In September 2025, Kebbi Command generated N25,621,609.26, representing a 36.13 percent increase compared to August.
The Customs boss attributed the improvement to “renewed engagement with stakeholders, enhanced border monitoring, and stronger inter-agency cooperation.”
“Our approach is holistic, combining enforcement with facilitation of legitimate trade. We are working with community leaders and traders to ensure that economic growth does not come at the expense of national security,” he said.
In addition to the fuel interceptions, the Command confiscated a range of prohibited items, including: 100 bales of second-hand clothing, 444 laptop-sized wraps of Cannabis Sativa, 143 mini sacks of donkey meat, 140 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 100 bags of foreign parboiled rice and 20 jerry cans of vegetable oil.
Matawalle disclosed that the total Duty Paid Value, DPV, of all seized items within his first month in office stood at N109,595,761.
As part of inter-agency collaboration, the Command handed over 143 pieces of donkey meat to the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS, and 444 wraps of Cannabis Sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
Comptroller Matawalle also emphasized the importance of security synergy, revealing that he had embarked on courtesy visits to sister agencies across Kebbi State, including the Nigerian Army, Police, NSCDC, and Immigration Service, to strengthen intelligence sharing.
“Through innovation, collaboration, and unwavering dedication, Kebbi Area Command will continue to contribute meaningfully to safeguarding our national economy and ensuring the security of our nation,” he affirmed.
He further announced plans for an operational tour of border stations including Kamba, Dolekaina, Bagudo, Maje, Sebgana/Tsamiya, and Lolo to assess challenges and tighten surveillance against fuel diversion rings.
The Kebbi Command’s latest success reinforces the Nigeria Customs Service’s broader campaign under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to stem cross-border crimes and preserve Nigeria’s energy resources.
