On New Year’s Eve, the Nigeria Customs Service’s Operation Whirlwind Zone A carried out a raid on suspected smuggling hideouts along the Lagos waterways in Badagry.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 10,970 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, stored in plastic sacks hidden inside wooden boats.
According to Kehinde Ejibunu, the Zonal Coordinator for Zone A, which covers six southwestern states, the confiscated petrol was reportedly being smuggled to the Benin Republic by a criminal network operating within Lagos State creeks.
Ejibunu revealed that the products were packed in 61 plastic sacks and seven jerrycans, each sack holding 150 litres of petrol.
Detailing the operation, Ejibunu stated, “On December 31, 2024, our team c nducted surveillance on the Badagry waterside and intercepted a large canoe loaded with 61 sacks and seven jerrycans of PMS, intended for Benin Republic.”
He noted that smugglers have revived an older smuggling tactic, storing fuel in sacks instead of jerrycans, marking the first such interception since the operation began.
The confiscated products were successfully removed from the canoe with assistance from the Nigerian military, specifically the Badagry Barracks, without any casualties despite resistance from the smugglers.
Due to the flammable nature of the seized petrol, Ejibunu disclosed that the service has ordered its auction.
