The Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) explains how price disparity fuels continuous smuggling in Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) across the borders, as the Service’s “Operation Whirlwind intercepts245, 370 litres of the commodity worth over N238 million
By Edu Abade
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that substantial price disparities remain the fundamental catalyst for the sustained smuggling of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol PMS across Nigeria’s regional borders.
Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, stated this at a media briefing on Monday at the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) in Lagos to announce seizures under Operation Whirlwind, insisting that smugglers of the product were bent on fostering a profoundly lucrative black market that systematically undermines Nigeria’s economic sovereignty and national interests.
His words: “The Nigeria Customs Service continues to confront a fluid national challenge that threatens our economic sovereignty and energy security: the persistent smuggling of petroleum products across our borders.
“While the government has implemented comprehensive market reforms and supply chain enhancements to stabilize the domestic petroleum sector, criminal networks remain determined to exploit regional economic disparities for illicit profit.
“These unscrupulous elements have shown remarkable adaptability, constantly refining their methods to circumvent our enforcement measures. What we are witnessing is not just routine customs violations but a systematic attempt to undermine Nigeria’s economic foundations through the diversion of strategic national resources.
“Each liter of petroleum product smuggled across our borders is a loss of revenue as much as it contributes to domestic scarcity, market instability, and compromised energy security for our citizens.”
He recalled that to confront the menace frontally, the NCS, with support from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), established a special operation codenamed “Whirlwind” in collaboration with the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The Customs helmsman stressed that the strategic partnership significantly intensified surveillance and enforcement operations across critical border corridors nationwide, adding that in less than three months, Operation Whirlwind has yielded remarkable results with cumulative seizures of 245,370 liters of petrol valued at N238.1 million.
“Importantly, the figures exclude recent report and seizures made through regular command structures and Federal Operations Units previously presented operational successes in Adamawa State on January 30, 2025, where our officers intercepted 199,495 liters valued at N199.4 million and in Kwara State on February 17, 2025 with additional seizures of 45,875 liters worth N38.6 million.
“The steady momentum of Operation Whirlwind is further demonstrated by the commendable performance recorded in Zone ‘A’, covering the Lagos/Ogun axis. We present our latest operational achievements in the critical zone, which serves as both our nation’s commercial nerve center and a high-risk corridor for cross-border smuggling activities due to its strategic location along our western frontier with the Republic of Benin.
“Following intelligence-driven operations between January 11 and February 23, 2025, our vigilant officers under the Operation whirlwind, have successfully intercepted and seized a total of 28,300 liters of petrol being diverted through various concealment methods and smuggling techniques with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N35.8 million.
“The tactical operations yielded seizures of 1,132 Jerry Cans of 25 liters each, totaling 28,300 liters; three vehicles used as means of conveyance, including one Toyota Camry with Chassis No. nJTDAT1237101922C7; One Volkswagen with Registration Number LAGOS-AAA-928FY and Chassis Number VW222312LE114785 and one Toyota Camry with Chassis Number 4T1BG22KXXU582542,” he said.
Adeniyi also explained that a comprehensive analysis of the pattern of seizures across the Lagos/Ogun axis revealed significant insights into the dynamic smuggling tactics and dominant routes being exploited by these economic saboteurs, adding that the seizures were strategically executed at identified smuggling corridors.
“The cumulative impact of Operation Whirlwind since its inception is substantial. Across the three operational zones where I have presented reports this year-Adamawa/Taraba Command, Kwara Command Lagos Zone ‘A’ we have successfully intercepted a total of 273,670 liters of petroleum products with a combined value of N273.9 million. These figures represent not just statistical achievements but tangible protection of our national economy and energy security.
“There will be no safe haven for smugglers in our operational areas. We shall maintain this momentum and continue to adapt our strategies to counter the dynamic tactics of these economic saboteurs. We will deploy additional resources and adopt even more stringent measures to ensure that petroleum products meant for domestic consumption are secured for the benefit of all,” he stressed.
