The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Thursday, paid a courtesy visit to the Ag. Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
Addressing the leadership of the Force, the CGC, Adewale Adeniyi congratulated the IGP on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and further expressed the commitment of NCS to join forces and fight the challenges of insecurity.
He also assured the IGP that Nigeria Customs is willing to learn more from the Nigeria Police Force in areas of investigation and other operations through coordinated capacity-building programs.
“Criminal activities are inter-connected, thus a need for the two security agencies to collaborate to mitigate the menace of smuggling, which will help the Nigeria Customs Service to generate revenue for the nation.
“I will therefore request to build a strong relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Police Force.” the CGC said, stressing the need, where possible, to share intelligence, on issues of mutual importance.
He also briefed the IGP on the proliferation of checkpoints from Mile 2 to Seme Border, saying that the agencies responsible need to look into the possibility of rationalizing them.
CGC Adeniyi, however, said that the Nigeria Customs Service is considering using geospatial intelligence to monitor the borders.
The CGC expressed the willingness of the Nigeria Customs Service to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Service and the Nigeria Police Force.
Responding, the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Kayode Egbetokun described the CGC’s visit to the Force Headquarters as timely, affirming his readiness to unanimously establish a solid working bond with the Nigeria Customs Service.
The IGP, who congratulated the CGC on his appointment, appreciated his vibrant steps of re-branding the Service, adding that “your bold steps to uplift the organization is well recognized by Nigerians, and you will surely succeed.”
“You are coming at a time that the Nigeria Police Force is committed to having strong collaboration with other security agencies. I want to inform you that we also share the vision of having a strong platform where all Services will interact, share intelligence, and leverage our different expertise.”
He told the CGC that the best time to actualize the synergy is now, adding that the Nigeria Police Force is determined to form a system that appropriately responds to the dynamics of criminalities in the Country.
Corroborating the CGC’s call on the state of Mile 2-Seme Checkpoints, the IGP proposed the need to constitute a joint tour of the area, adding that “I will also be paying unscheduled visits to Mile 2-Seme axis.”
He also ensured that the Nigeria Police Force would commit to dismantling illegal checkpoints on the affected roads.
He also promised to take their partnership to the crest, adding that forming a synergy to fight against criminals in some strategic places is much needed.
In another development, the Nigeria Customs Service, on Wednesday, unveiled a new roadmap towards simplifying trade in Nigeria through fast-tracking of compliant traders in line
with the World Customs Organization protocol.
The project, which is called ‘Authorised Economic Operators’ (AEO), has the protection of the new Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and will be designed to systematically identify tolerable risks affecting the importation of legitimate goods into Nigeria.
During a presentation on the modalities of implementation at Customs Headquarters Abuja, the Ag. Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, re-echoed his commitment to tackling challenges bedeviling trade facilitation in Nigeria.
The CG, however, said that compliant traders and businesses of significant benefits should embrace will benefit from the innovation, assuring that it will be a game-changer in the realm of trade facilitation.
