The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), under Operation Whirlwind, has intercepted two fuel tankers containing 120,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) suspected to have been diverted to Sokoto State.
National Coordinator of the operation, Assistant Comptroller-General Kola Oladeji, disclosed this to journalists on Friday in Sokoto. He said the vehicles, each loaded with 60,000 litres of PMS, were originally documented for Kano but were intercepted along the Sokoto–Illela road on October 4, 2025.
According to him, the drivers of the trucks—bearing registration numbers DKA 309 XA and GSW 321 XA—fled the scene, abandoning the vehicles. Oladeji explained that the products were suspected to be en route to the Illela border for smuggling, adding that the act constituted irregular routing and documentation anomalies, both punishable offenses under Nigerian law.
“Fuel diversion is not just an economic crime; it is a direct assault on national development, energy security, and the welfare of citizens,” Oladeji said.
He noted that the operation has contributed to stabilising PMS supply and curbing price volatility across the country. Oladeji reaffirmed that Operation Whirlwind remains committed to detecting, deterring, and dismantling illicit fuel distribution networks.
The intercepted tankers were handed over to Mr. Ali Ajimi, the Sokoto/Kebbe State Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), who commended the Customs Service for its vigilance and pledged continued collaboration in tackling smuggling and other economic crimes.
