The Nigeria Customs Service has handed over a truck conveying diverted Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Calabar, as authorities intensify enforcement against the illegal diversion and smuggling of petroleum products.
The truck, with registration number KAM 663 XA, was intercepted by operatives of Operation Whirlwind Zone C, Calabar Axis, and formally transferred to the regulator on Friday at the Customs House in Calabar.
The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Mahmood Bello, carried out the handover on the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. He said the transfer demonstrated the importance of inter-agency cooperation in enforcing petroleum regulations and ensuring accountability.
Bello described the diversion and smuggling of petroleum products as threats to Nigeria’s economy, energy security and public interest. He added that Operation Whirlwind would strengthen intelligence gathering and surveillance, particularly around identified smuggling routes ahead of the festive season.
At the same event, the Customs Service auctioned 6,125 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), valued at ₦6.125 million. The seized petrol, contained in 245 jerrycans of 25 litres each, was intercepted at Ikang Road in Bakassi, Ibaka and Mfum.
Bello said the auction followed established procedures to ensure transparency, noting that seized petroleum products were volatile and required prompt disposal. He also directed commanders to increase operational readiness and ensure that suspects identified through enforcement operations were investigated and prosecuted.
Receiving the LPG truck on behalf of the NMDPRA, the representative of its Calabar Field Office, Mrs Okor-Odey Joy, commended Customs for the interception and sustained collaboration between both agencies.
She said the Authority had investigated the case and sanctioned the company involved in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, before taking custody of the truck for appropriate regulatory handling.
Okor-Odey warned petroleum operators against diversion, adulteration and the illegal movement of products, adding that the regulator would continue to investigate violations, impose appropriate sanctions and refer criminal cases to relevant security agencies for prosecution where necessary.
The Customs Service said its enforcement activities would extend beyond seizures to identifying and prosecuting offenders, as it seeks to strengthen controls against the illegal movement of petroleum products.
