The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Operation Whirlwind, has restated its resolve to tackle fuel diversion and protect products meant for domestic consumption, as it auctioned 22,175 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to Nigerians in Lagos.
The auction, which took place on Monday, 5 October 2026, at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, followed the interception of 887 jerrycans of 25 litres each, totalling 22,175 litres, and five means of conveyance used by smugglers along the Lagos-Ogun border axis, with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦32,175,000.
Addressing Journalists at the event, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Abubakar Aliyu, said the seizures were made across notorious flashpoints including Imeko, Ilara, Ilaro, Idiroko and Seme-Badagry.
“Today’s auction is a clear demonstration of the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to transparency, accountability and prudent management of seized petroleum products, in accordance with extant laws, regulations and approved procedures”, Aliyu said.
According to him, the Service has intensified surveillance and intelligence gathering along major routes to ensure that petroleum products meant for Nigerians are not unlawfully diverted.
He commended the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for their support, while praising officers and men of Operation Whirlwind Zone A for their diligence and professionalism.
Aliyu warned that those still engaged in fuel smuggling will be caught, stating, “Operation Whirlwind remains resolute, relentless and intelligence-driven. We will continue to identify, intercept and dismantle smuggling networks wherever they operate.”
He appealed to border communities to provide timely information, noting that the fight against smuggling is a collective responsibility to preserve vital resources for the prosperity of all Nigerians.
