The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to auction 14,375 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) intercepted from smugglers attempting to transport the fuel illegally through Cross River State to neighbouring Cameroon.
Customs officials said the petrol was seized during an anti-smuggling operation carried out by officers under the Operation Whirlwind task force in the Calabar axis. According to the agency, the confiscated fuel was discovered in several containers, including jerrycans and drums, during routine surveillance around border communities known for fuel smuggling activities.
The seized products were estimated to have a duty-paid value of over ₦14 million, highlighting the scale of the illegal trade. Authorities noted that smuggling petroleum products across the border continues to threaten Nigeria’s fuel supply and undermine government efforts to stabilise the downstream sector.
The NCS said the recovered petrol will be auctioned to the public in line with existing regulations governing the disposal of seized petroleum products.
Customs also warned smugglers and their collaborators to desist from the illegal activity, stressing that the service will continue to intensify operations along border corridors to curb the diversion of fuel meant for domestic consumption.
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