Customs Intercepts 108 Litres of Petrol On Adamawa Water Ways

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service have intercepted a large quantity of Petrol being smuggled along the River Benue corridor of Adamawa State into the Republic of Cameroon.

In a Saturday statement, the agency revealed that the operation was carried out in the early hours of Thursday, 6th of November, under the leadership of the National Coordinator Operation Whirlwind, ACG Kolapo Oladeji.

The statement reads, “The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a large consignment of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) being smuggled through the River Benue into the Republic of Cameroon, marking one of the biggest anti-fuel smuggling operations recorded in Adamawa State in recent months.

“The intelligence driven interception was carried out in the early hours of Thursday, 6 November 2025, under the leadership of the National Coordinator Operation Whirlwind, ACG Kolapo Oladeji.”

ACG Kolade stated that the development was made possible after a special tactical team mounted a covert surveillance position near Ribadu Loading Bay, a notorious route known for illicit fuel movement into Cameroon.

“As the smugglers began transferring the products onto the vessel, the Customs team advanced and issued commands for them to halt.” the National Coordinator said.

He added, “Given the terrain and visibility challenges, operatives prioritised securing the contraband and preventing the boat from escaping across the international waterway.”

He stated that a further sweep of the area, supported by the North-Eastern Marine Command, led to the discovery of a second wooden boat already laden with petrol-filled drums and jerrycans.

The two vessels, according to ACG Oladeji, were piloted to Jimeta waterside in Yola, where their contents were evacuated into trucks and moved to a secured Customs facility for documentation.

Meanwhile, a 100 per cent examination later revealed a staggering haul of 485 drums of 220 litres each and 83 jerrycans of 25 litres each, amounting to a total of 108,775 litres of PMS.

“Given the volatile nature of the product, prompt conduct of a public auction in accordance with established guidelines was recommended to NCS, Headquarters” he highlighted.

The National Coordinator said the operation reflects the Service’s renewed resolve to suppress cross-border smuggling of petroleum products, protect Nigeria’s economic interests, and enforce government regulations on fuel movement in the border regions.

He noted that smuggling PMS across Nigeria’s northern and eastern waterways has remained a major threat to national energy security, as the products are often ferried in large quantities into neighbouring countries for profiteering.