Lagos, Nigeria – June 11, 2025 – In a bold move to curb the rampant smuggling of petroleum products across Nigeria’s borders, the Nigerian Customs Service, through its special enforcement unit Operation Whirlwind, has intercepted and seized large quantities of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in multiple border states. The seized fuel has now been auctioned directly to Nigerians at a subsidised rate of ₦180 per litre.
The high-impact operation, which targets fuel diversion syndicates sabotaging the nation’s economy, recorded significant breakthroughs in Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Ogun, and other border corridors notorious for fuel smuggling. Acting on credible intelligence, enforcement agents impounded tankers, jerry cans, and other storage mediums filled with PMS being prepared for illegal export to neighbouring countries.
Addressing the press in Abuja, Assistant Comptroller-General Hussein Ejibunu, who coordinates Operation Whirlwind, disclosed that the auctioning of the recovered fuel was in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to ensure stolen national assets are redirected back to benefit the Nigerian populace.
“This operation is not only about intercepting smuggled fuel but also about delivering justice and relief to Nigerians suffering from artificial fuel scarcity caused by profiteers. The auction at ₦180 per litre is a way to return stolen resources to the people,” Ejibunu said.
Hundreds of residents in affected communities reportedly turned out at designated auction points to purchase the subsidised fuel, expressing gratitude for the intervention amid rising pump prices in the open market. Many lauded the Customs Service and called for the initiative to be sustained and expanded.
The operation is supported by key agencies including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and security forces such as the Nigerian Army and NSCDC. Together, they aim to dismantle fuel smuggling networks draining the country’s resources.
Ejibunu warned that any marketer, depot operator, or station manager caught in diversion activities would face severe sanctions, including license revocation and criminal prosecution.
“Let this serve as a strong warning. No one who profits from the theft of Nigeria’s future will go unpunished,” he stated firmly.
Analysts have welcomed the initiative as a bold step toward reinforcing transparency and cushioning the effects of subsidy reform, while also serving as a deterrent to economic saboteurs.
As Operation Whirlwind continues its nationwide sweep, the message is clear: the era of unchecked fuel smuggling is nearing its end — and Nigeria’s national interest will no longer be hijacked by a few.
