The Nigeria Customs Service has announced it will auction 14,375 litres of petrol seized from smugglers trying to move the fuel into Cameroon.

DCC Abubakar Aliyu, head of the Zone C Anti-Smuggling Taskforce, said the operation, known as Operation Whirlwind, targeted hotspots like Ikang, Bakassi, Ikom, and Ikot-Idareka. The seized fuel, 235 jerry-cans and 40 drums, has a Duty Paid Value of N14,375,000.

Aliyu explained that the petrol was being illegally exported, a move that violates Nigerian petroleum laws. He highlighted that the taskforce relied on intelligence and targeted interventions to dismantle the smuggling network.

Zone C Area Comptroller Momodu Dauda added that the seizure shows the NCS’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s economy, enforcing the law, and cracking down on illegal trade.

The auction seeks to put the confiscated fuel into legal circulation while sending a clear warning to smugglers operating across the border.