- The Nigeria Customs Service, through Operation Whirlwind, handed a sealed Badagry petrol station to the NMDPRA for regulatory action.
- ACG Kola Oladeji said the move reinforces joint efforts to curb non-compliance and protect Nigeria’s energy infrastructure.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its energy infrastructure to curb irregularities in the downstream petroleum sector.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, October 27, the agency said its special task force, Operation Whirlwind, handed over a sealed petrol station to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Friday, October 24, for further regulatory action.
Assistant Comptroller-General Kola Oladeji, Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, announced the handover during an official ceremony in Badagry, Lagos State. “As directed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, I formally hand over the sealed filling station identified as Adeola Ade Plc, located along Owode-Apa Road, Badagry, to the NMDPRA for further regulatory actions,” Oladeji said.
He said the station, sealed on October 4, 2025, was found to be operating in violation of standards governing petroleum retail operations. “This handover sends a clear message to economic saboteurs that both agencies remain resolute in enforcing compliance within the downstream sector,” Oladeji added.
He commended the Office of the National Security Adviser, led by Nuhu Ribadu, for its role in intelligence gathering and policy coordination to support national energy security. “The continued collaboration among security and regulatory agencies is crucial to preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s energy infrastructure,” he said.
Ivy Agbenselugbo, head of Retail Infrastructure at the NMDPRA, highlighted fuel smuggling and diversion’s economic and environmental toll. “Fuel smuggling and diversion not only cause significant revenue losses but also pose serious environmental risks,” she said.
Agbenselugbo called for deeper collaboration between the NCS and NMDPRA through intelligence sharing and joint enforcement to tackle fuel diversion.
The event ended with signing handover documents, which highlighted both agencies’ commitment to regulatory transparency and the sanitisation of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.