CUSTOMS AUCTIONS 66,500 LITRES OF SEIZED FUEL IN KEBBI CRACKDOWN
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kebbi State Command, has auctioned 66,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) seized during anti-smuggling operations aimed at curbing fuel diversion and economic sabotage.
Speaking during the exercise in Birnin Kebbi, the Customs Area Controller, Muhammad Ibrahim, said the operation was carried out under the special enforcement unit, Operation Whirlwind, which targets cross-border smuggling of petroleum products.
“It is with great pleasure that we witness this important milestone in our command. Operation Whirlwind remains a strategic unit saddled with the responsibility of monitoring and suppressing the smuggling of PMS across Nigerian borders,” Ibrahim said.
He noted that the initiative is designed to safeguard national resources and strengthen the economy, adding that the seizures reflect improved inter-agency collaboration.
The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Aliyu Abubakar, disclosed that 864 jerrycans of PMS—amounting to about 21,500 litres—were intercepted at smuggling flashpoints across the state, including Bagudo, Kamba, and Jega Road. The estimated duty-paid value of the seized fuel exceeds N21.2 million.
Abubakar further revealed that a tanker carrying about 45,000 litres of petrol was intercepted along the Jega axis, noting that the product was originally destined for Katsina State but was illegally diverted to Kebbi.
He said the tanker has since been handed over to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for further investigation and regulatory action.
Emphasising transparency, Abubakar said the public auction of seized petroleum products demonstrates the Service’s commitment to due process and accountability.
Also speaking, NMDPRA representative Grace Dauda warned against the diversion of petroleum products, stressing that such practices disrupt supply distribution and national planning.
“When a product is manifested for a particular destination like Katsina but diverted elsewhere, it deprives that area of essential supply,” she said, noting that such volumes are critical for hospitals, security operations, and economic activities.
Authorities say the crackdown is part of ongoing efforts to combat fuel smuggling in Nigeria’s border communities, particularly in the North-West, where porous borders and price disparities continue to fuel illegal trade.
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