The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has stated that the agency is committed to bringing an end to the illegal exportation of petroleum products in the country, News About Nigeria reports.
He stated this while speaking during an update on the activities of Operation Whirlwind, on Wednesday.
Adeniyi noted that the operation is a strategic initiative aimed at curbing fuel smuggling across Nigeria’s borders, adding that the Customs has declared war on smugglers in the country.
According to him, those who are involved in illegal smuggling are enemies of Nigeria’s development, and will not be allowed to succeed.
The CG, who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Enforcement, Investigations, and Inspections, Olaniyi Olajogun, disclosed that two filling stations in Adamawa – Oilpad Global Services Limited, located opposite Yola International Airport, and Gawi Oil Nigeria Limited along Numan Road – had been fined by a court for their involvement in smuggling activities.
The CG further revealed that the anti-smuggling operation had yielded substantial seizures since its inception.
He stated, “Operation Whirlwind, launched in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), continues to record significant successes in stopping the illegal exportation of petroleum products.
“As you may recall, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during his maiden address on the operation of the Petroleum Products Anti-Smuggling Team, code-named Operation Whirlwind, reported the seizure of 150,950 litres of PMS valued at ₦105.96 million. I am pleased to inform you that our efforts have since intensified, resulting in further successes across multiple border regions.”
