The Nigeria Customs Service, acting through Operation Whirlwind, has announced the seizure of over 38,000 litres of premium motor spirit, commonly referred to as petrol, in border communities across Adamawa State.

Speaking at a press briefing in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Abubakar Aliyu, made the disclosure in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Aliyu added that the interception was carried out following a six-week crackdown on suspected petroleum smuggling activities in Adamawa State.

He stated that the confiscated PMS carried a total duty-paid value of N63m, inclusive of the value of a vehicle allegedly deployed to convey the products, noting that the seizures took place at various border locations, among them Malabu-Belel, Girei-Wuro Bokki, Gurin-Fufore, Wuro Alhaji-Maiha and Mubi-Sahuda.

He explained that the seizures resulted from intelligence-led operations aimed at known smuggling hotspots throughout the state, especially routes believed to be used for the unlawful movement of petroleum products across Nigeria’s borders.

“Customs operatives recovered 1,548 jerrycans of petrol, each with a capacity of 25 litres, bringing the total volume of the seized products to 38,700 litres. A vehicle allegedly used to transport the petroleum products was also intercepted during the operations,” Aliyu said.

Aliyu reaffirmed that Operation Whirlwind would continue to tackle petroleum smuggling and other illicit trade, while shielding the national economy and ensuring public safety.

Operation Whirlwind is a dedicated anti-smuggling programme set up to check the unlawful movement, diversion and cross-border smuggling of petroleum products. Its core mandate is to safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests, bolster national energy security and ensure that petroleum products intended for domestic use are not illegally diverted across the country’s borders.