Over thirty thousand litres of petrol have been intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service along suspected smuggling routes in Adamawa State.
The service says it seized 38,700 litres during intelligence-led operations over the past six weeks, as smugglers allegedly attempted to move the fuel out of Nigeria.
Packed in 1,548 jerrycans, the petrol was intercepted along border routes in Adamawa State by officers attached to Operation Whirlwind.
The Nigeria Customs Service says the seizures followed intelligence on suspected fuel smuggling activities.
At a press conference in Yola, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller Abubakar Lucky Aliyu, said the operations were aimed at curbing the illegal movement of petroleum products across the border.
He said preventing fuel smuggling was also necessary to protect supplies intended for domestic consumption.
The Customs Comptroller in charge of the Adamawa and Taraba Area Command said officers were sustaining operations against the diversion of petroleum products through Nigeria’s land borders.
The Adamawa State head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority said cooperation between the authority and Customs contributed to the seizures.
Customs urged members of the public to provide information that could help officers identify smuggling routes and prevent the illegal movement of fuel.
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Editor: Ada Ononye
