The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, has called for stronger institutional reforms, inter-agency collaboration and technology-driven operations to enhance the effectiveness of the Customs Police Unit (CPU) in tackling illicit trade and maintaining discipline within the Service.
The call was made at the inaugural Customs Police Summit, themed, “Reimagining Customs Policing: Learning from the Past, Responding to the Present and Preparing for the Future.”
Addressing the summit, the Comptroller-General stressed that effective trade facilitation and the fight against illicit activities depended on a disciplined, professional and trusted enforcement unit.
“From both positions, one truth is clear: Customs must facilitate legitimate trade and stop illicit trade. And it can do neither without a disciplined and trusted police unit to uphold its own standards,” the Comptroller-General stated.
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The Service, the official stressed, must balance trade facilitation with effective enforcement, fairness and accountability. The founding principle of the unit also remained relevant, particularly the provision that no officer was above the law.
“Its founding principle remains as true today as it was in 2019, and that is the fact that no officer is above the law. Before we demand integrity from traders and the public, we must show it ourselves,” the Comptroller-General declared.
“Technology must serve the law, and algorithms must flag risks, but only officers acting within the law can exercise enforcement powers,” Adeniyi emphasised.
The Comptroller-General also advocated the deployment of modern technology, including artificial intelligence, advanced scanners, geospatial tools and electronic cargo tracking, to improve investigations and strengthen operational efficiency.
Meanwhile, the Acting Provost Marshal of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Saalauwa Sanusi, reaffirmed the unit’s commitment to strengthening internal discipline, accountability and professional standards, describing it as a critical instrument for promoting integrity and ensuring compliance within the Service.
“An institution entrusted with enforcing laws and regulating international trade must equally possess credible mechanisms for enforcing discipline and accountability within its own structure. We cannot effectively demand compliance from others when we fail to demonstrate it within our own ranks,” Sanusi said.
The Acting Provost Marshal observed that the growing complexities of international trade, transnational organised crime, illicit financial flows, corruption and emerging trade-related challenges had made the role of the Customs Police Unit increasingly important.
“The Nigeria Customs Service cannot sustainably achieve its objectives of revenue generation, trade facilitation and suppression of smuggling without disciplined personnel and compliant stakeholders. Without compliance, even the most sophisticated policies, technologies and enforcement strategies will deliver limited results,” he emphasised.
Sanusi further disclosed that the unit’s mandate aligned with international best practices, particularly the World Customs Organization’s Revised Arusha Declaration on Integrity in Customs, Customs Enforcement Network, integrity and anti-corruption programmes, and the SAFE Framework of Standards.
“Discipline must begin with us. We cannot impose discipline on others if we fail to demonstrate it in our own conduct. Let our red berets represent integrity, restraint, fairness, professionalism and accountability in the discharge of our duties,” the Acting Provost Marshal charged.
The summit is expected to provide a platform for reflecting on the evolution of Customs policing, addressing contemporary enforcement challenges and developing practical strategies for a more professional, accountable and technology-driven Customs Police Unit.
