The Nigeria Customs Service is to begin profiling fuel stations along border areas to curb the smuggling of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, the Comptroller-General of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, has said.

He announced this while revealing seized volumes of PMS at the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Ikeja, on Friday. The service auctioned about 39.425 litres of the commodity.

Represented at the event by the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Hussein Ejibunu, the CGC explained that the essence of the profiling is to detect moribund and active fuel stations in a bid to identify the ones used for smuggling.

“And that’s why we have to identify filling stations that are close to the border, that are moribund, those ones that are active so that we will know those that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority will give licenses to,” Adeniyi said.

He stressed that fuel stations found wanting would be submitted to NMDPRA for necessary actions. “I have just mentioned that there are many, and that those who are found guilty would be dealt with by NMDPRA. It’s not for Customs to do; we are not the ones who issued their licenses,” the CGC said.

Giving details on the seizure, Adeniyi highlighted that a total of 1,577 Jerrycans of PMS 25 litres each, amounting to 39,425 liters, were seized, as well as eight vehicles used for conveyance.

“The duty paid value of the product stands at N39,425m, and that of the means of conveyance stands at N24m, cumulatively amounting to N63,425m,” he said.

He added that a total of four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures, “We have two in court right now, and we have two that we are still investigating to know if they are directly or remotely connected to the crime.”

According to Adeniyi, since the commencement of Operation Whirlwind in the past year, “we have not fired a shot. If we see that the situation is becoming chaotic, we invite the military. Like it happened somewhere in Mudi. Within 10 minutes, the military came, and immediately they saw the military, all of them dropped their weapons and ran away.”

Earlier, a representative from the NMDPRA, Mr Patrick Musa, lauded Operation Whirlwind for their efforts. He stated that the interception of the products has reduced the fuel supply to criminal elements.

On how the seized petrol would be auctioned, he said the products would be auctioned at N10,000 per 25 litres with a duty-paid value of N39.4m.

Adeniyi said the products were seized within the South-Western zones of Lagos and Ogun states. He explained that the seized PMS, which were intercepted around Ilaro, Imeko, Badagry, Owode, and Ajilete, were intended to be smuggled to neighbouring countries like the Benin Republic.

“The PMS is going to be auctioned immediately after this press briefing to the Nigerians, with a 25-litre jerrycan, sold at an auction price of only N10,000,” he said.

He noted that last Friday, the service auctioned over 46,000 litres of PMS in Yola, Adamawa State Capital, which was seized by gallant operatives in that zone.

He maintained that within the span of one year of this operation, so much has been achieved across all the zones, and this achievement was a result of the commitment, dedication, and resilience of the operatives.