Customs Operation Whirlwind Intercept ₦25 Million Worth of Smuggled PMS at Babana

Customs Operation Whirlwind Intercept ₦25 Million Worth of Smuggled PMS at Babana

The Niger/Kogi Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with Operation Whirlwind, the Service’s anti-smuggling task force, has dealt a significant blow to fuel traffickers with the interception of ₦25 million worth of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at the Babana border axis.

The coordinated operations led to the seizure of 500 jerrycans and two drums of PMS—equivalent to 125,000 litres—across several notorious smuggling corridors, including Kabe/Kigbra, Babana/Guazo, Dekara/Gidan Zana, and Kabe/Tunga Madugu roads. A Ford Pickup van used for transporting the smuggled fuel was also impounded.

During a press briefing held at the Niger/Kogi Command Headquarters in Minna, Niger State, on Wednesday, 16 April 2025, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Hussein Ejibunu, who is the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, commended the synergy between Customs officers, sister security agencies, and local communities that made the operation successful.

“These seizures are not random. They are the outcome of intelligence-led patrols, inter-agency collaboration, and trusted engagement with community stakeholders,” ACG Ejibunu stated.

He added that the seizure aimed to dismantle smuggling networks that threaten Nigeria’s economy and energy security.

Although no suspect was arrested during the operations, ACG Ejibunu confirmed that investigations are ongoing, and further crackdowns are underway to identify and apprehend the perpetrators behind the smuggling ring.

“Let it be known that the Nigeria Customs Service will stop at nothing to dismantle smuggling networks. Our commitment to protecting the nation’s economic lifeblood remains unshakable,” he asserted.

Speaking earlier, the Customs Area Controller of Niger/Kogi Command, Comptroller Pascal Chibuoke, acknowledged the challenges faced by officers operating in volatile and hard-to-reach locations such as Babana.

In a humanitarian gesture aimed at reducing the impact of fuel scarcity in border communities, the Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi directed the auction of the seized PMS at a subsidised rate of ₦10,000 per 25-litre keg.