By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stepped up its fight against petroleum products smuggling, with its Operation Whirlwind team auctioning 22,175 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) seized from suspected smugglers along the Lagos-Ogun border corridor.
The public auction took place on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos.
The seized petrol, packed in 887 jerry cans of 25 litres each, was recovered from several known smuggling routes and flashpoints, including Imeko, Ilara, Ilaro, Idiroko and the Seme-Badagry axis.
Speaking during the auction, National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller Abubakar Lucky Aliyu said the seizures were the result of intensified surveillance and intelligence-led operations aimed at stopping the illegal diversion and movement of petroleum products across Nigeria’s borders.
Aliyu explained that the exercise was carried out under the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as the Service continues to strengthen its enforcement activities around major smuggling routes.
The seized PMS, together with five means of conveyance, was valued at a combined Duty Paid Value of ₦32.175 million, according to Aliyu.
He said Operation Whirlwind was specifically established to tackle the illegal movement and diversion of petroleum products, particularly products meant for domestic consumption.
Beyond preventing smuggling, Aliyu said the operation was designed to protect the nation’s economic interests and contribute to energy security by ensuring that petroleum products supplied for local consumption were not illegally taken across the borders.
He described the auction as part of the NCS’s efforts to ensure proper and transparent disposal of seized petroleum products in accordance with relevant laws and approved procedures.
The National Coordinator urged participants in the auction to abide by the laid-down rules, stressing the need for an orderly and transparent process.
He commended the Customs management for its support for Operation Whirlwind and acknowledged the cooperation of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Aliyu also praised officers of Operation Whirlwind Zone A for their commitment and professionalism in tackling petroleum smuggling along the Lagos-Ogun corridor.
He warned smugglers that the Service would continue to deploy intelligence and surveillance to identify and disrupt networks involved in the illegal movement of petroleum products.
“Operation Whirlwind remains resolute, relentless and intelligence-driven. We will continue to identify, intercept and dismantle smuggling networks wherever they operate, while ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with the law,” he said.
He called on residents of border communities and other members of the public to assist the Customs Service by providing credible information about suspected smuggling activities.
According to him, cooperation from communities remains critical to the fight against economic sabotage and the protection of Nigeria’s petroleum resources.
Also speaking at the event, the Acting Commandant of the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Deputy Comptroller Precious Itah, said the seizure and auction sent a clear message that the NCS would not tolerate petroleum products smuggling.
Itah warned against treating the movement of small quantities of smuggled fuel as a minor offence, noting that repeated activities of that nature could have wider consequences for the economy.
“Little drops of water make an ocean. If we keep allowing this to go on, it will escalate to something that will affect the national economy,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to support government agencies in protecting the economy and preventing the illegal movement of petroleum products.
The latest auction is part of the Customs Service’s continuing enforcement campaign against fuel smuggling and the diversion of petroleum products intended for Nigerians.
