Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service have uncovered a major fuel smuggling network in Adamawa State, with officials warning of possible links to insurgent activities across the Cameroon border.

The discovery was disclosed during a press briefing in Yola, where authorities revealed the interception of a fuel tanker and thousands of jerry cans filled with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), suspected to be destined for criminal networks operating in the Lake Chad region.

The operation, conducted under “Operation Whirlwind,” exposed what officials described as an organised system exploiting porous borders and fuel price differences between Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Deputy Comptroller AL Aliyu said the command recorded 47 seizures within six weeks across key smuggling routes in Adamawa, including Mubi, Sahuda, Belel, Fufore, and Maiha.

He disclosed that a total of 64,410 litres of petrol stored in 2,550 jerry cans, along with additional drums and vehicles used for transportation, were seized during the operations.

In a separate interception, customs officers impounded a DAF tanker carrying 50,000 litres of petrol along the Mubi–Uba road on April 15, suggesting large-scale diversion schemes.

Aliyu said the smuggling activities are driven by price disparities, noting that petrol sells for about N1,330 per litre in Nigeria but over N2,000 per litre in Cameroon, creating incentives for illegal cross-border trade.

He warned that beyond economic losses, the smuggled fuel could be used to support insecurity, including operations by extremist groups in border regions.

The customs official said enforcement efforts would be intensified to dismantle the networks involved, while the seized fuel would be auctioned in line with regulations, with proceeds remitted to the government.

The agency also called on citizens to support the crackdown by providing intelligence, stressing that tackling smuggling and its potential security implications requires collective effort.