The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Saturday auctioned about 20,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, at N630 per liter in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The product, intercepted from smugglers, was sold to the public at Afoo Filling Station, Masfala area.
The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, who flagged off the sale, revealed that the tanker carrying the petrol was seized alongside 30 kegs containing 25 liters each during a smuggling attempt.
The total duty-paid value of the seized 30,750 liters was estimated at N42.75million.
According to Comptroller Ejibunu, the auction followed a court condemnation order after the items remained unclaimed. He stated that the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashiru Adeniyi, directed the sale to improve public access to fuel during the festive season.
Comptroller Ejibunu explained the government’s commitment to ensuring that citizens receive their entitlements promptly, highlighting that auctioning seized goods to Nigerians aligns with government policy.
He cautioned smugglers to abandon their illegal activities, warning that offenders would face prosecution.
Reflecting on a similar operation two months earlier, he noted that seized petrol was sold to the public in Yola, Adamawa State, at the regulated price. Specifically, 25-liter kegs of petrol were auctioned at ₦10,000 each.
He added that legal proceedings against a suspect apprehended during that operation were already underway.
Ejibunu urged Nigerians to support the Nigeria Customs Service by providing information on economic saboteurs, pledging the agency’s dedication to curbing smuggling under the directive of the Comptroller General.
He further explained that a collaboration between the Oyo/Osun Area Command and the Commander of Operation Whirlwind to enhance security, strengthen the economy, and deter smuggling.