67,000 liters of PMS valued at N84.8 million are seized by NCS Operation Whirlwind

Within a month, 67,000 liters of petroleum valued at N84.8 million were seized by the Nigeria Customs Service’s Operation Whirlwind along the Kwara/Niger States axis.

As you may remember, “Operation Whirlwind” began in May 2024 in cooperation with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is in charge of organizing the exercise.

In a statement issued by Zakari Chado, the spokesperson for the NCS’s Kwara Area Command, the exercise’s national coordinator, Comptroller Hussaini Ejibunu, stated that the confiscated petroleum had been put up for sale to the general public.

“A few months into the ongoing Operation Whirlwind, notable progress has been made, especially in the area of illegal petroleum motor smuggling.”

“The operation, through the leadership of Comptroller Hussaini Ejibunu took a definitive step to put Nigeria on the path to suppress smuggling of PMS out of the country through the exercise. The operation WHIRLWIND exercise has no doubt saved the country huge resources and enhanced national security as the smuggling of PMS out of the country through Kwara land borders has been considerably curtailed,” Chado said.

He added: “Our operatives comprising enforcement officers and Customs Intelligent Unit (CIU) covering Niger/Kwara axis have continued to record large number of seizures and arrests. On 17th and 18th September, 2024, respectively, my team along Gwanara axis of Kwara State, intercepted 38 and 61 Kegs of 25 liters of PMS respectively, en route Benin Republic with a duty paid value of N2, 970,000.00.

“Similarly, on Monday, 30th Sept, 2024, a team of officers led by Chief Superintendent of Customs Waziri Mohammed at about 1130pm around Gure/Kosubosu intercepted 90 kegs of 25 liters of PMS with a duty paid value of N2,700,000.00.”

According to Chado, the officers also seized two trucks with the registration numbers FST-524 XG and JJJ-14-XQ, respectively, that were loaded with 33,000 liters of PMS each, all of which were meant to be smuggled out with a duty-paid value of N79, 200, 000.000.

“N84, 870,000,000 is the entire Duty Paid Value of the seizure. Sections 245 and 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 are violated by the smugglers’ actions,” he continued.