The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Saturday, sold approximately 20,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, from a tanker seized from smugglers, to residents of Ibadan, Oyo State at ₦630 per litre.
The seizure of the petroleum product was carried out by operatives of Operation Whirlwind of the NSC in the Oyo/Osun axis.
The fuel was sold at Afoo Filling Station in the Masfala area of Ibadan.
Flagging off the sale, the national coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, revealed that the intercepted tanker, along with another 30 kegs containing 25 liters of petrol each, was seized while smuggling the fuel out of the country.
He disclosed that the total duty-paid value of the seized petrol, amounting to 30,750 litres, was estimated at ₦42.75 million.
Comptroller Ejibunu explained that Customs decided to sell the petrol to members of the public after obtaining a court order through the office of its Legal Adviser. The decision followed a period during which the seized items were unclaimed.
He further stated that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, directed the sale of the product to ensure that the public could access the product, especially during this festive season.
Ejibunu added: “Government at every level ensures that citizens receive what they are entitled to, as and when due. It is part of government policy to ensure that seized goods are auctioned to Nigerians for their use.”
He also advised smugglers to desist from their illegal activities, warning that those caught would be prosecuted.
He recalled that about two months ago, seized petrol was also sold to the public in Yola, Adamawa State, at the same price with petrol in kegs sold at ₦10,000 per 25-litre keg.
He added that the prosecution of the suspect apprehended with the seized product had already commenced.
Ejibunu also appealed to Nigerians to assist the Nigeria Customs Service by providing useful information about the activities of economic saboteurs.
In his remarks, the Area Controller for Oyo/Osun Command, Dr. Ben Oramalugo, stated: “We are committed to fulfilling the mandate of the Comptroller General to reduce smuggling to the barest minimum.
“The Oyo/Osun Area Command was partnering with the Commander of Operation Whirlwind as part of our efforts to ensure Nigeria’s safety, strengthen the economy, and discourage smuggling.”
The managing director of the filling station, Alhaji Afolabi Olatunji, expressed satisfaction with the orderly execution of the sale, highlighting that there was no chaos or crowd surge.
A car dealer, Alhaji Bashir Adesina, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for a “job well done,” noting that the operation would serve as a deterrence to oil bunkering and smuggling.