Customs Intercepts Over 108,000 Litres of PMS Smuggled Via River Benue Into Cameroon

By Admin

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 108,775 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) allegedly being smuggled through the River Benue into Cameroon, marking one of the most significant anti-fuel smuggling operations recently recorded in Adamawa State.

In a statement shared on X on Saturday, the Service disclosed that the operation occurred in the early hours of Nov.

According to Oladeji, the success of the operation stemmed from covert monitoring carried out by a specialised tactical squad positioned near Ribadu Loading Bay, an area notorious for the illegal movement of fuel into Cameroon.

“Our personnel moved in immediately and ordered the smugglers to halt as they began loading the products onto the vessel,” he stated.

He noted that due to limited visibility and the tough terrain, officers prioritised securing the confiscated fuel and ensuring the smugglers’ vessel did not escape into the international waters.

A follow-up search of the vicinity, supported by the North-Eastern Marine Command, led to the discovery of another wooden boat stocked with petrol-filled drums and jerrycans.

Both boats were escorted to the Jimeta waterside in Yola, where the products were offloaded into trucks and transported to a secured Customs facility for proper documentation.

A detailed inventory confirmed the seizure of 485 drums of 220 litres each and 83 jerrycans of 25 litres each, bringing the total volume to 108,775 litres of PMS.

Oladeji added that, because of the highly combustible nature of the product, the Customs team advised that an immediate public auction be carried out in accordance with approved procedures.

He emphasised that the interception underscores the Service’s heightened determination to curb cross-border smuggling, safeguard the nation’s economic resources, and uphold protocols regulating the movement of petroleum products.

He further pointed out that the smuggling of PMS through Nigeria’s northern and eastern waterways remains a serious challenge to national energy security, as substantial quantities continue to be ferried illegally into neighbouring countries.