The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ has joined forces with the Nigerian Navy (NN) to tackle smugglers in the South-West geo-political region.
To this end, the two organizations have intensified what they called “a strategic aerial surveillance” of critical waterways and suspected smuggling hotspots in the region beginning from Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos and its environs.
NCS in a statement made available to Maritime Bits disclosed that the exercise, conducted with the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, is part of efforts to strengthen intelligence-sharing and coordinated operations against smuggling, illegal drugs, prohibited goods and other maritime crimes in the region.
Customs Area Controller (CAC), NCS, FOU, Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, speaking after the surveillance, described inter-agency cooperation as essential but stressed the need to elevate it into a more strategic partnership capable of delivering sustained operational results.
Said he: “Inter-agency cooperation is sacrosanct. However, we have to take this a notch higher into strategic partnership. It’s not only desirable, but essential.”
Aliyu explained that the aerial assessment enabled both agencies to obtain what he called “first-hand intelligence” on the terrain and identify areas requiring closer surveillance and intervention.
The CAC stated that the exercise was not merely a courtesy engagement but a strategic assessment designed to strengthen NCS and NN understanding of vulnerabilities along the maritime corridors.
He remarked that in an era where organised crime has seen criminals collaborating to carry out their nefarious acts, security agencies must move into a higher level of alliance that he called “strategic partnerships.”
According to the Customs Chief, we needed to see for ourselves what is going on along the corridor. For instance, during the exercise, the team observed several boats, including one that had just discharged its cargo.
He revealed that the observations would feed into an ongoing threat and vulnerability assessment, with heightened surveillance and coordinated operations expected in the coming weeks.
Said he: “We are going to be putting our eyes there and in the coming weeks, they are going to be hearing from us and we are going to be doing the coordinated operation.”
Aliyu linked the initiative to the policy direction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi who has consistently promoted inter-agency collaboration as a cornerstone of effective national security and institutional performance.
The Customs Chief assured that FOU Zone A would sustain and deepen its partnership with NN due to its strategic roles and responsibilities in the maritime domain.
According to him, we have this collaboration ongoing, and we are ready to sustain it and to take it to a higher level.
The FOC Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mustapha, in his remarks, stated that the collaboration was critical to curbing illicit drug trafficking and other criminal activities, warning that the impact of drug abuse could undermine the quality of manpower needed to drive Nigeria’s economy.
Mustapha revealed that both agencies had identified key operational requirements and would leverage technology to complement human intelligence and strengthen surveillance capabilities.
According to the FOC, enhanced technological capacity would support personnel conducting operations on the ground. This engagement is a good step in the right direction. Nigerian Navy and Customs must operate as strategic partners in advancing both national security and economic development.
The Naval Chief stated that effective inter-agency synergy was indispensable, noting that criminal operations often succeed when security agencies fail to share intelligence and coordinate their activities.
