Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of Customs, has ordered a thorough assault on smugglers, describing them as enemies of Nigeria’s progress.
Adeniyi made the statement on Wednesday in Yola, during an update on the activities of Operation Whirlwind, a strategic program aimed at reducing petroleum smuggling across Nigerian borders.
Olaniyi Olajogun, Deputy Comptroller-General of Enforcement, Investigations, and Inspections, represented the CG in disclosing that two filling stations in Adamawa—Oilpad Global Services Limited, located opposite Yola International Airport, and Gawi Oil Nigeria Limited along Numan Road—had been fined by a court for their involvement in smuggling activities.
The confiscated Premium Motor Spirit was auctioned to the public at ₦630 per litre.
“Operation Whirlwind, launched in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), continues to record significant successes in stopping the illegal exportation of petroleum products,” Olajogun said.
The Customs boss further revealed that the anti-smuggling operation had yielded substantial seizures since its inception.
He said, “As you may recall, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during his maiden address on the operation of the Petroleum Products Anti-Smuggling Team, code-named Operation Whirlwind, reported the seizure of 150,950 litres of PMS valued at ₦105.96 million. I am pleased to inform you that our efforts have since intensified, resulting in further successes across multiple border regions.”
He highlighted recent seizures, which included two trucks laden with 33,000 litres of PMS each, 1,046 jerricans of 25-litre capacity, and 12 barrels of 200-litre size, all of which were meant for smuggling.
During the last phase of the operation, 94,550 litres of PMS worth ₦75.45 million were confiscated. One suspect has been apprehended in connection with the smuggling activities in Adamawa and is currently being held in protective custody in Abuja.
Comptroller Kehinde Ejibune, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, praised the Comptroller-General’s support for his staff and expressed confidence that smugglers would be pushed out of business.
He confirmed that customs officials, in partnership with other security agencies, are working around the clock to improve Nigeria’s economy and lower
