Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intensified efforts to foster stronger inter-agency collaboration, with fresh engagements involving the Nigeria Correctional Service, NCoS, the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
This is part of the Customs’ broader strategy to strengthen border management, curb trans-border crimes, and promote economic stability through security cooperation.
Speaking, the Customs Area Controller of Oyo/Osun Area Command, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, described synergy among security agencies as “an indispensable factor in protecting national assets, enhancing trade facilitation, and maintaining economic stability.”
“We cannot achieve effective border control or sustainable economic growth in isolation,” Aliyu said.
“The Nigeria Customs Service is committed to deepening inter-agency collaboration to ensure that our borders are secure, legitimate trade is protected, and national resources are safeguarded.”
At the Nigeria Correctional Service, the Area Controller praised the agency’s contributions to national peace and rehabilitation, calling it “a strategic partner in Nigeria’s security architecture, saddled with the critical mandate of reforming, rehabilitating, and reintegrating offenders into society.”
He noted that NCoS’s efforts in rehabilitation “directly contribute to societal stability, which is essential for business confidence and economic growth.”
Similarly, while addressing senior officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Comptroller Aliyu commended the agency’s frontline role in migration control and border protection.
“Your professionalism and commitment to migration management are vital to national security and economic sustainability. The NIS remains a crucial partner in curbing trans-border crimes, preventing illegal trade, and ensuring that cross-border activities align with Nigeria’s economic and security interests.”
At the NSCDC headquarters, Aliyu lauded the Corps for its resilience in protecting critical infrastructure, combating vandalism, and complementing Customs operations.
“The NSCDC has proven to be a reliable partner in safeguarding vital economic assets and ensuring a secure environment for trade and investment to thrive,” he stated.
He emphasized that enhanced cooperation among security institutions was not only vital for tackling smuggling and other illicit activities but also for ensuring a stable environment for investors and legitimate businesses.
“Our collaboration is ultimately about economic security, protecting revenues, facilitating trade, and securing the environment where commerce thrives,” he noted.
The visits, according to a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, Abdulmalik Akintola, align with Comptroller Aliyu’s continuous drive to strengthen institutional partnerships.
They follow recent strategic engagements with the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, in Oyo State, reinforcing his commitment to synergy as a cornerstone of effective border management and sustainable national development.
