– Dissolves Joint Border Patrol Team
Esther Oritse
Lagos — In a strategic move to eliminate trade bottlenecks, strengthen border security, combat smuggling, and facilitate legitimate trade, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the reduction of checkpoints across the country.
This initiative is part of its broader 2025 Enforcement Strategy aimed at modernizing operations and promoting seamless movement of goods and people.
According to a statement by the Head of Public Relations, Maiwada Abdullahi, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, approved the reduction as part of a plan to rely more on actionable intelligence and strategic risk management to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
The NCS also disclosed plans to deploy geospatial tools and advanced technologies to reinforce its enforcement strategies.
Speaking on this development, Adeniyi stated:”This decision highlights the Service’s commitment to adopting innovative, intelligence-driven approaches for effective border enforcement and anti-smuggling operations.”
Additionally, the NCS announced the dissolution of the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT), following consultations with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The JBPT, initially launched in 2019 under the codename “Ex-Swift Response,” was established to enforce Nigeria’s partial border closure policy.
Since its inception, the JBPT has played a critical role in intercepting dangerous goods and ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s trade and security regulations. The NCS acknowledged the invaluable contributions of partner agencies in safeguarding the nation’s land borders.
“Their dedication has been instrumental in achieving the Service’s objectives,” Adeniyi noted. “While the JBPT is being dissolved, the NCS assures stakeholders that these measures will neither compromise border security nor hinder trade facilitation. Instead, they represent significant progress in modernizing customs operations, improving trade compliance, and enhancing national security.”
The 2025 strategy underscores the NCS’s commitment to streamlining processes, leveraging technology, and fostering partnerships to achieve its goals of facilitating trade and safeguarding Nigeria’s borders.
