Nigeria’s Customs enforcement team has been reduced across all the customs checkpoints to pave the way for ease of movement of goods and persons.
The move is part of the 2025 enforcement strategy approved by the Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi aimed at removing bottlenecks associated with trade, strengthening border security, combating smuggling, and facilitating legitimate trade.
The Service confirmed the update in a statement issued by Abdullahi Maiwada, its sportsperson. Moving forward, the customs operations, the statement added,
“will rely more on actionable intelligence and strategic risk management frameworks to enhance efficiency and effectiveness”.
“Also, the Service is deploying geospatial tools and advanced technologies to ensure the effectiveness of NCS enforcement strategies.
This development underscores the Service’s commitment to leveraging innovative, intelligence-driven approaches for effective border enforcement and anti-smuggling operations”.
Consequent to the above, the Service announced the dissolution of the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) after due consultation with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
This operation, which commenced in 2019 with the code name “Ex-Swift Response” and later evolved into JBPT, was initially designed to enforce the partial border closure policy.
Since its inception, the JBPT has played a pivotal role in curbing the influx of dangerous goods and ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s trade and security regulations.
The NCS acknowledges and deeply appreciates the cooperation and dedication of other government agencies that partnered in this endeavour. Their invaluable contributions have been instrumental in safeguarding Nigeria’s land borders.
The Service assures the public and stakeholders that these measures will not compromise border security or trade facilitation. Rather, they represent a significant step towards modernising customs operations, improving trade compliance, and strengthening national security.
While soliciting the support of all stakeholders in the good fight against economic saboteurs, the CGC reassured his commitment and that of his officers and men to secure the nation’s borders effectively, facilitate legitimate trade, and ensure the safety and well-being of all Nigerians.
Olusola Akintonde
Comments are closed.