Customs auctions 15,375 litres of smuggled petrol in Kwara

The Nigeria Customs Service has auctioned 15,375 litres of petrol intercepted by its Operation Whirlwind team along the Niger-Kwara axis in a renewed crackdown on the smuggling and illegal diversion of petroleum products.

The seized products, comprising 615 jerrycans of 25 litres each, were intercepted at various locations in Kwara State, including Kaiama, Shiya, Kenu, Boriya, Luma, Baruten, Ilesha-Baruba, Taberu and Salla-Gwanara.

The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Mahmood Ishidi, disclosed this during the public auction held at the headquarters of the Kwara Area Command of the NCS in Ilorin on Wednesday.

Ishidi, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the seized petrol had an estimated duty-paid value of N15.375m.

He said the seizures followed intelligence gathered by operatives of the operation, demonstrating the service’s determination to prevent the illegal movement of petroleum products.

“These seizures were carried out with precision, diligence and operational effectiveness across several strategic flashpoints, notably Kaiama Axis, Shiya, Kenu, Boriya, Luma, Baruten, Ilesha-Baruba, Taberu and Salla-Gwanara in Kwara State,” Ishidi stated.

He described petroleum smuggling as economic sabotage, warning that the illegal trade undermined government revenue, disrupted the petroleum supply chain and contributed to artificial scarcity and rising prices.

“Beyond depriving the nation of critical revenue, it distorts the supply chain, leading to scarcity and inflated costs that unfairly burden honest Nigerians,” he said.

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The Customs official added that petroleum smuggling could strengthen criminal networks, weaken border security and pose wider threats to national security.

Ishidi, who recently assumed leadership of Operation Whirlwind, pledged to strengthen intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration and enforcement operations to curb the illegal trade.

He said his administration would prioritise effective supervision, intelligence-led interventions and a result-driven operational framework.

He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs and the service’s management for their support, while acknowledging the contributions of the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to the operation.

Ishidi also praised officers and men of the Niger-Kwara axis for their professionalism and commitment, urging residents, particularly those in border communities, to provide credible information to security agencies.

“The fight against smuggling is a collective responsibility, and your support remains indispensable in protecting the nation’s economic stability,” he said.

He said the public auction underscored the service’s commitment to transparency and accountability in managing seized petroleum products, urging participants to comply with the established guidelines.

The Customs official reaffirmed that Operation Whirlwind would sustain surveillance and enforcement activities across its areas of responsibility to check petroleum smuggling and protect the country’s economic interests.