Customs boss seeks discipline, intelligence-driven enforcement, accountability

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, has called for stronger discipline, professionalism and accountability in customs operations, stressing the need to balance trade facilitation with effective enforcement against illicit trade.

Adeniyi said the Service must embrace intelligence-driven enforcement, the responsible exercise of statutory powers and stronger collaboration with relevant agencies to address emerging threats while facilitating legitimate business activities.

The Comptroller-General made the call while addressing participants at a conference organised by the Customs Police Unit (CPU), with the theme, “Learning from the Past, Responding to the Present and Preparing for the Future.”

He said the theme challenged the Service to reflect on its institutional history, assess current operational demands and develop strategies to remain effective in an increasingly complex trade and security environment.

Adeniyi, while expressing appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his sustained support for the modernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service, also acknowledged the contributions of the Service’s management, the Acting Provost and personnel of the Customs Police Unit, sister security agencies and other stakeholders.

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The Comptroller-General, who is also the Chairman of the relevant Customs Police Unit oversight structure, maintained that the Service could only facilitate legitimate trade and effectively suppress illicit activities with the support of a disciplined, professional and credible enforcement unit.

He commended the Acting Provost and personnel of the unit for their contributions to its institutional development and capacity-building efforts over the past seven years, saying the Service must uphold integrity, restraint and collaboration as critical principles for effective customs enforcement.

He stressed that the Service must demonstrate integrity within its ranks before demanding compliance from traders and members of the public, adding that the extensive enforcement powers conferred by the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, must be exercised responsibly.

He identified modern customs instruments, including the World Customs Organisation’s SAFE Framework of Standards, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, advance rulings and Time Release Studies, as important mechanisms for promoting voluntary compliance, improving operational efficiency and enabling officers to focus on high-risk transactions.

The Customs boss called for stronger working relationships with the Nigeria Police Force, Armed Forces, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Department of State Services (DSS), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service and other relevant stakeholders.

He charged officers and men of the Customs Police Unit to preserve existing good practices, address institutional weaknesses and develop innovative strategies to tackle emerging challenges.