The Nigeria Customs Service has successfully intercepted 1,149 jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit that were allegedly smuggled through the Dorofi and Kan Iyaka axis along the Gembu-Cameroon border in Taraba State. The announcement was made by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, during an auction of the seized petroleum products in Jalingo, the state capital.
Adeniyi revealed that the operation, dubbed ‘Operation Whirl Wind,’ took place on March 8 and 9, 2025, following intelligence gathered in collaboration with key agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which played crucial roles in the anti-smuggling campaign.
He emphasized the importance of disrupting the emerging smuggling corridor along the Gembu-Dorofi-Kan Iyaka-Cameroon border, stating, “We remain committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s subsidized fuel does not end up in neighboring countries at the expense of our economy.” The seized petroleum products were contained in 30-liter jerrycans, totaling 34,470 liters. Additionally, a special-purpose transportation vehicle valued at N4 million was impounded, bringing the total duty-paid value of the seizure to N37,780,600.
Adeniyi noted that the difficult terrain of the area has contributed to a rising trend of smuggling activities. He pointed out that the rough landscape and the porous nature of the border facilitate such illegal operations. To counter this, the Customs Service is developing technological solutions to enhance real-time intelligence and surveillance to improve their ability to monitor and intercept illegal activities.
He called on Nigerians to support the agency by providing credible information that could help combat smuggling, stating, “Smuggling is an economic crime, and tackling it requires collective effort. Intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration are key to sustaining our fight against this menace.” Adeniyi reaffirmed the service’s commitment to strengthening border security and warned those involved in smuggling that they would face the full weight of the law.
Earlier, Garba Bature, the Controller of Adamawa/Taraba Command, highlighted the command’s devotion to fighting smuggling and urged collaboration from border communities in intelligence gathering efforts.
