The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), through its Operation Whirlwind team in the Niger/Kwara axis, has intercepted and auctioned 15,375 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) seized from suspected petroleum smugglers in Kwara State.
The auction was held on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the Kwara Area Command of the NCS in Ilorin.
Addressing stakeholders at the event, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind said the seizure followed credible intelligence and targeted operations across identified smuggling flashpoints in the state.
The affected locations included Kaiama, Shiya, Kenu, Boriya, Luma, Baruten, Ilesha-Baruba, Taberu and Salla-Gwanara.
According to the coordinator, the seized petrol was contained in 615 jerrycans of 25 litres each, with an estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦15.375 million.
The National Coordinator described petroleum smuggling as economic sabotage, noting that the illegal trade deprives the country of revenue, disrupts the petroleum supply chain, encourages artificial scarcity and threatens national security.
He reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, supervision and enforcement to improve the effectiveness of Operation Whirlwind.
He also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; the management of the NCS; the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA); the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); and personnel of the Niger/Kwara operational team for their contributions to the operation’s success.
He urged members of the public, particularly residents of border communities, to provide credible and timely information to security agencies to support efforts to combat petroleum smuggling.
The National Coordinator further stressed that transparency and accountability remained central to the auction process and urged participants to comply with the established guidelines.
He assured Nigerians that Operation Whirlwind would intensify surveillance and enforcement activities to protect the country’s petroleum resources and safeguard the national economy.
