The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 108,775 litres of Premium Motor Spirit being smuggled through the River Benue into Cameroon, in what officials describe as one of the largest anti-fuel smuggling operations recorded in Adamawa State in recent months.
In a statement by Customs, shared on Saturday on X, the interception was carried out in the early hours of Thursday, November 6 2025, under the leadership of the National Coordinator, Operation Whirlwind, ACG Kolapo Oladeji.
He stated that, “The development was made possible after a special tactical team mounted a covert surveillance position near Ribadu Loading Bay, a notorious route known for illicit fuel movement into Cameroon.”
“As the smugglers began transferring the products onto the vessel, the Customs team advanced and issued commands for them to halt,” Oladeji said.
“Given the terrain and visibility challenges, operatives prioritised securing the contraband and preventing the boat from escaping across the international waterway.”
A further sweep of the area, with support from the North-Eastern Marine Command, led to the discovery of a second wooden boat already loaded with petrol-filled drums and jerrycans.
According to Oladeji, both vessels were piloted to the Jimeta waterside in Yola, where their contents were evacuated into trucks and moved to a secured Customs facility for documentation.
A full examination revealed 485 drums of 220 litres each and 83 jerrycans of 25 litres each, totalling 108,775 litres of PMS.
“Given the volatile nature of the product, prompt conduct of a public auction in accordance with established guidelines was recommended to NCS Headquarters,” he stated.
Oladeji said the operation underscores the Service’s renewed commitment to curbing cross-border smuggling, safeguarding Nigeria’s economic interests, and enforcing regulations on the movement of petroleum products.
He noted that smuggling PMS across Nigeria’s northern and eastern waterways remains a major threat to national energy security, as the products are often ferried in large quantities into neighbouring countries for profiteering.
The PUNCH
