The Adamawa and Taraba Customs Command has intercepted Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) worth ₦72.6 million, preventing its illegal export to Cameroon through the River Benue.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday at the command’s headquarters in Yola, Comptroller Garba Bashir stated that the seizure was part of ongoing efforts to combat smuggling and protect Nigeria’s economy.
“The operatives of the command have launched yet another heavy blow on the smugglers through shared intelligence, leverage of technology, and coordinated border management,” Bashir said.
The operation took place at around 3:30 a.m. at the Jimeta waterside, known locally as Bakin Kogi. Customs officers discovered 240 drums, each containing 220 litres of petrol, neatly arranged for transport through the waterways to Cameroon.
Bashir reaffirmed the command’s commitment to making Adamawa and Taraba a “dead zone” for smugglers.
“We have started strangling the smugglers, and we will continue to strangle and suffocate them until smuggling activities are purged out of the command,” he declared.
He further urged smugglers to abandon illicit trade and embrace lawful business, warning that the Nigeria Customs Service remains determined to dismantle smuggling cartels and safeguard the national economy.