- The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kebbi State Command, intercepted 66,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) intended for illegal export and diversion.
- The operation, carried out by the special enforcement unit, led to the recovery of 864 jerrycans and a diverted 45,000-litre tanker.
- Following due process and transparency protocols, the seized fuel was auctioned to the public in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Kebbi State Command has successfully auctioned 66,500 litres of seized petrol.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Customs Area Controller, Muhammad Ibrahim, revealed that the operation was spearheaded by “Operation Whirlwind,” a strategic unit specifically designed to monitor and suppress the smuggling of petroleum products across Nigeria’s porous borders.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- Judge Frees 37 Inmates Over Prolonged Detention in Akwa Ibom
- Trump Threatens Iran Over Energy Attacks
- Tinubu Excludes Kemi Badenoch from UK State Visit Itinerary
The crackdown uncovered a sophisticated network of fuel diversion. National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller Aliyu Abubakar, detailed that 864 jerrycans, totaling approximately 21,500 litres were intercepted at various smuggling flashpoints including Bagudo, Kamba, and Jega Road.
These border communities have long been hotspots for the illegal trade of PMS due to price disparities across West African borders.
One of the most significant busts involved a fuel tanker carrying 45,000 litres of petrol along the Jega axis.
While the tanker’s manifest indicated it was destined for Katsina State, it was found illegally diverted to Kebbi, presumably for cross-border smuggling.
Deputy Comptroller Abubakar emphasized that such acts directly undermine national economic stability and deprive essential sectors, such as hospitals and security operations, of critical fuel supplies.
The representative of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Grace Dauda, was present during the handover of the intercepted tanker.
She warned that such infractions would attract heavy financial penalties and legal action.
The public auction of the seized products serves as a clear message to smugglers and economic saboteurs that the authorities are committed to protecting Nigeria’s fuel supply chain through improved inter-agency collaboration and coordinated surveillance.
