Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), through its anti-smuggling unit Operation Whirlwind, has auctioned 20,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and five vehicles used in transporting the illicit products, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N38 million. The public auction was conducted on Monday, 13 July 2026, at the Customs Training College in Ikeja, Lagos, following an intelligence-led operation that dismantled a coordinated smuggling network along the Lagos-Ogun border corridor.
Speaking at the auction, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller Lucky Abubakar Aliyu, said the operation was carried out on the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. Aliyu disclosed that operatives intercepted 820 jerrycans of 25 litres each, totalling 20,500 litres, across key smuggling flashpoints, including Imeko, Ilara, Ilaro, Idiroko, and the Seme-Badagry axis. In addition to the seized petroleum products, five vehicles used in conveying the products were also intercepted, with the combined duty-paid value of the seized PMS and the vehicles estimated at N38 million.
According to Aliyu, the petroleum products were destined for illegal export to neighbouring countries, an illicit trade that deprives the Federal Government of critical revenue, distorts the domestic supply chain, creates artificial scarcity, fuels criminal enterprises, and undermines ongoing reforms in the petroleum sector. He stressed that petroleum smuggling remains a serious threat to Nigeria's economic stability and national security.
Aliyu noted that efforts have been significantly intensified through improved surveillance, stronger intelligence operations, and more robust enforcement activities along major routes identified for the illegal diversion and cross-border smuggling of petroleum products. He described Operation Whirlwind as a strategic national initiative established to combat the illegal diversion of petroleum products, protect Nigeria's energy security, and ensure that products meant for domestic consumption reach legitimate end users.
Explaining the rationale for the auction, Aliyu said it was conducted in line with legal provisions and the Service's commitment to transparency, accountability, and due process. He stated that the auction ensures that the products are reintegrated into the legitimate domestic supply chain rather than being diverted into illegal channels. He added that the auction was carried out with the participation of relevant government agencies, security personnel, civil society groups, and media representatives to guarantee transparency and integrity in the disposal process.
Aliyu commended the Office of the National Security Adviser, under the leadership of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for its strategic guidance and inter-agency cooperation, as well as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for its technical oversight. He also applauded the Comptroller-General of Customs and the entire NCS management for their leadership and support. He warned individuals and syndicates involved in petroleum smuggling that Operation Whirlwind would remain intelligence-driven, proactive, and uncompromising in its resolve to identify, intercept, investigate, and dismantle all smuggling networks operating within and around the nation's borders.
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