Customs To Sell Seized Petrol At ₦400/Litre To Ease Festive Transportation Challenges

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced plans to auction 15,325 litres of seized Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, at ₦400 per litre. This initiative aims to address transportation challenges during the festive season.

Hussein Ejibunu, the National Coordinator of the NCS’s Operation Whirlwind, disclosed the development during a press briefing at the Customs Training College in Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday.

Details of the Auction

The seized petrol, valued at ₦27.5 million, was confiscated during anti-smuggling operations across Lagos and Ogun states. According to Ejibunu, Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi approved the auction, with pricing set at ₦10,000 per 25-litre container.

Ejibunu emphasized that all legal and procedural requirements have been met, including obtaining a court condemnation order through the office of the legal adviser. This ensures a transparent and lawful auction process.

Operation’s Impact and Objectives

“This operation, which commenced on May 27, 2024, has yielded significant results,” Ejibunu remarked. He further noted that the Comptroller-General has directed the operatives to maintain the momentum until economic sabotage activities are fully eliminated.

In line with this directive, the auction aims to make fuel more accessible to the public during the festive season, helping to alleviate potential transportation difficulties.