By Dansu Peter The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has raised alarm over the increasing smugglin...
By Dansu Peter
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has raised alarm over the increasing smuggling of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, through the Badagry-Seme corridor, describing it as the most significant route for illicit fuel exportation.
Speaking at the Customs Training College in Ikeja on Monday, Adeniyi disclosed that a staggering 35 percent of all smuggled petrol in the last two weeks was traced to the Badagry-Seme axis. This, he said, underscores the corridor’s dominance as the largest smuggling route for petrol in Nigeria.
“Our analysis of smuggling activities shows that the Badagry-Seme corridor is the primary route exploited by fuel smugglers, accounting for a significant portion of our total seizures,” Adeniyi stated.
He attributed the persistent smuggling in the area to its proximity to the Republic of Benin and an intricate network of waterways, which traffickers exploit to bypass enforcement.
Beyond Badagry, Adeniyi revealed that Ogun State's Imeko-Afon corridor accounts for 25 percent of intercepted petrol, while Ilaro-Ojodan contributes 22 percent. Meanwhile, the Owode-Ajilete route accounts for 18 percent of the seized smuggled fuel.
“These routes represent emerging corridors where smugglers are shifting operations in response to our enforcement strategies,” Adeniyi warned.
Adeniyi further disclosed that Customs operatives intercepted and seized 28,300 litres of petrol between January 11 and February 23, 2025, valued at N35.8 million in duty-paid terms. The operation also led to the confiscation of three vehicles used for smuggling.
He credited the ongoing success to Operation Whirlwind, an intelligence-driven initiative aimed at cracking down on fuel smuggling, particularly in the Southwest geopolitical zone, which has become a hotbed for illicit petroleum exports.
In a separate development, the Nigeria Customs Service held the pre-launch of its B’Odogwu trade facilitation platform at the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports. The platform, developed as an indigenous alternative to the Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II), is expected to enhance trade documentation, modernize customs operations, and boost revenue collection
Adeniyi assured stakeholders that the new platform addresses inefficiencies in the existing system and will provide a more seamless experience for traders.
The Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of IT and Modernisation, Kikelomo Adeola, reaffirmed the commitment of the agency to continuous engagement with stakeholders to refine the system, ensuring a smooth transition.
As Customs intensifies its crackdown on petrol smuggling, the agency has vowed to tighten security around the Badagry-Seme corridor and other identified smuggling hotspots to curb the illicit trade and safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests.
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