The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its crackdown on fuel smugglers, seizing nearly 200,000 litres of petroleum products in Adamawa State under Operation Whirlwind.

Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, condemned fuel smuggling as a direct attack on Nigeria’s economy and energy sector, warning that such illegal activities undermine government efforts.

“Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s well-structured economic reforms aimed at stabilizing the energy sector, some unpatriotic individuals continue to sabotage these efforts through illicit smuggling,” Adeniyi stated.

He revealed that intelligence-led operations by officers of the Adamawa/Taraba Command led to the interception of 199,495 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), valued at ₦199,495,000. Smugglers were caught using tankers, jerry cans, and drums to transport fuel across the border.

Detailing their tactics, Adeniyi explained that smugglers often rely on night-time river crossings at Dasin Waterways, illegal storage sites near border towns, and hidden dispensing points to move fuel illicitly.

“These economic saboteurs are determined to cause hardship for law-abiding Nigerians, but the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in protecting our national economy,” he declared. “There will be no safe haven for smugglers within our operational areas.”

Strategic interception points such as Mova, Dasin, the Galamba-Song axis, and the Mubi-Maiha corridor have been crucial in disrupting smuggling attempts.

Reaffirming the NCS’s commitment to tackling fuel smuggling, Adeniyi pledged continuous improvements in strategy, intelligence gathering, and collaboration with security agencies to dismantle smuggling networks.

Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Finance and Administration, ACG Hussain Ejibunu, commended the CGC for his leadership and praised the officers’ dedication in the fight against smuggling.