Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Customs Service has uncovered a major petroleum smuggling network in Adamawa State, cutting off fuel supply lines that authorities say have been draining national revenue and strengthening criminal economies along Nigeria’s northern borders.
National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, ACG Kolapo Oladeji, disclosed that officers recorded 55 seizures in eight weeks, blocking the illegal movement of more than 184,000 litres of PMS, a development he described as a significant economic breakthrough for the country.
“This operation is about protecting Nigeria’s strategic resources,” Oladeji told journalists on Thursday at the Customs House in Yola. “Our mandate is clear: to shut down all illegal supply chains that empower criminal elements.”
The seizures, valued at N181.6 million in duty-paid terms, were intercepted across notorious smuggling corridors including Mubi–Sahuda, Farang–Belel, Gurin–Fufore, Maiha, Wuro-Bokki, Ribado waterways, Muninga and Bakin Kogi.
According to Oladeji, items recovered include 2,642 jerrycans of 25-litre PMS, several 220-litre drums, and two large wooden boats used to ferry petroleum products across the border.
He stressed that the illegal PMS diversion is not just an economic crime but a direct threat to national stability.
“The smuggling network is a grave threat to Nigeria’s economy and internal security,” he said. “The illegal diversion of PMS weakens our revenue base and directly fuels non-state actors and cross-border criminal syndicates.”
Oladeji added that intensified surveillance under Operation Whirlwind has “made it extremely difficult for saboteurs to move PMS out of the country,” in line with the directives of Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi.
Commending residents of border communities for supporting the operation with credible intelligence, the Customs chief urged them to remain vigilant.
“Your timely information has been invaluable,” he said. “Security is a collective responsibility, when you see something, say something.”
He also acknowledged the media’s role in raising awareness about the economic and security implications of petroleum smuggling, describing public enlightenment as crucial in sustaining recent gains.
