On Thursday, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) auctioned seized Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, at N360 per litre in Adamawa State, amid local fuel prices soaring as high as N1,300 per litre.
The move, part of Comptroller General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi’s initiative, is aimed at curbing rampant fuel smuggling across borders. The Adamawa/Taraba Commandās Area Comptroller, Garba Bature Bashir, informed reporters that the seized fuel had been intercepted at the Nigeria-Cameroon border, as smugglers attempted to transport it into Cameroon.
Currently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail stations in Adamawa are selling fuel at N1,090 per litre, with independent marketers charging between N1,200 and N1,300 per litre due to the scarcity and rising cost.
Addressing the media, Bashir said, āThe PMS presented today was seized along various border points in Adamawa and Taraba States and is being auctioned to the public immediately following this briefing, as per the Nigerian Customs Service Act, 2023, given its flammable nature.ā He further noted that three vehicles used to smuggle the petrol were also impounded, along with additional items, including flour, parboiled rice, and used clothing.
Bashir highlighted that smuggling undermines the nationās economy, urging perpetrators to stop, while reassuring the public of the Service’s commitment to cracking down on such illicit activities. The seized petrol, totaling 33,595 litres and valued at N71,760,930, marks a significant operation by the NCS.
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