By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

The newly appointed Acting Controller of the Western Marine Command, Deputy Comptroller Timothy Jonah, has pledged to intensify surveillance and intelligence gathering to tackle smuggling along the Lagos-Ogun waterways.

Jonah also promised to strengthen collaboration with sister security agencies and riverine communities, stressing that effective information and intelligence sharing would be central to his operational strategy.

He made the commitment while addressing officers and men of the command at its headquarters in Lagos.

His position was contained in a statement issued by the Customs Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Clarinet Nwosu, and made available to journalists in Lagos on Tuesday.

Jonah described the Western Marine Command as a hotspot for smuggling, saying sustained intelligence sharing would be crucial to strengthening operations and disrupting illicit activities.

He said the command would deepen its partnership with the Nigerian Navy, Marine Police and other security agencies to prevent the movement of illicit goods through the waterways.

The Acting Controller also disclosed plans to engage traditional rulers, riverine community leaders and other stakeholders to improve intelligence gathering and strengthen the fight against smuggling.

He, however, assured legitimate businesses operating along the waterways that enforcement would not be allowed to disrupt lawful economic activities.

According to him, trade facilitation remains a core responsibility of the Nigeria Customs Service, adding that enforcement must be carried out in a manner that supports legitimate trade.

Jonah noted that the World Customs Organisation places emphasis on safe and efficient trade flows, stressing that effective control measures were necessary to protect the integrity of the supply chain.

He assured compliant operators that the Customs Service had no issues with legitimate businesses, warning that those involved in illegal activities would face enforcement action.

He urged operators to comply strictly with existing customs and maritime laws, assuring legitimate traders of the Service’s support.

On officers’ welfare, Jonah said he would build on the welfare initiatives of the Comptroller-General of Customs, including health checks and sporting facilities, to improve officers’ fitness, morale and productivity.

He also announced that the command would begin visits to riverine community leaders and border kings from next week as part of efforts to strengthen community relations and improve intelligence gathering.

Jonah pledged to consolidate the achievements of his predecessor while introducing measures to further improve the command’s operational effectiveness.

The Acting Controller also charged officers and men to embrace teamwork, discipline and respect for constituted authority, stressing that operational success depended on collective effort.

He said no officer could succeed in isolation, adding that excellence in the Customs Service required cooperation, teamwork and unity of purpose.

Jonah reminded officers that the Nigeria Customs Service was a regimented organisation founded on discipline and respect for the chain of command.

He therefore urged them to follow established reporting channels and avoid bypassing their immediate supervisors when raising issues or seeking solutions.

He described unit heads as leaders at their respective levels and tasked them with developing strong problem-solving skills and taking responsibility for challenges within their areas of command.

According to him, effective leadership involves more than occupying a position; it requires the ability to solve problems, support colleagues and leave a positive impact in assigned areas.

Jonah also emphasised the importance of officers’ welfare, health consciousness, work-life balance and reputation management.

He urged officers to maintain a professional appearance, dress appropriately, demonstrate courage and professionalism when engaging sister agencies, and embrace continuous learning to improve their knowledge and effectiveness.

By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stepped up measures to strengthen border security ahead of the 2027 General Elections, with renewed efforts to check arms trafficking, smuggling and other cross-border crimes.

The NCS National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, saying the service was working with local and international partners to revive coordinated border management and establish an effective one-stop border post system.

Maiwada said the initiative had already commenced at the Mfum border with Cameroon and the Seme-Krake border between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

He said the move was aimed at making legitimate trade easier while reducing illicit activities along the country’s borders.

“In the area of collaboration, the NCS is working both with international partners as well as local partners to see that we reintroduce coordinated border management to do effective one-stop border post framework,” he said.

According to Maiwada, the ongoing work at Mfum and Seme-Krake followed a benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge border between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

He said the mission was undertaken to study the border management system and identify practices that could be adapted to Nigeria’s environment.

“We want to learn the best from them and also execute it in our own local environment,” he said.

The Customs spokesman said the service was also deploying modern technology to strengthen border surveillance and prevent the entry of items that could threaten national security.

He identified geospatial intelligence as one of the tools being deployed to improve the mapping and monitoring of Nigeria’s borders.

“Borders do not entail only the land borders; that is why we are introducing non-intrusive inspection technology.

“We are now marrying declarations with image analysis to make sure that items that are inimical to the security and well-being of Nigeria are not allowed into the country,” Maiwada said.

He added that the recent recruitment into the NCS was part of efforts to provide the manpower needed to effectively monitor the nation’s borders and tackle the movement of arms and other prohibited goods.

Maiwada also disclosed that the service was engaging border communities and other stakeholders through the Customs Community Consultative Forum.

He said the engagements were aimed at creating greater awareness about the dangers of smuggling and securing the cooperation of border communities in combating the menace.

The renewed measures come amid concerns over the possible movement of illicit arms ahead of the 2027 elections.

In August, the NCS Niger/Kogi Area Command handed over 189,000 rounds of seized live ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) as part of efforts to tackle arms proliferation.

Similarly, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, handed over 399 seized firearms to the NCCSALW in August.

Adeniyi warned that criminal networks could exploit Nigeria’s borders, ports and airports to move prohibited items ahead of the elections.

He said the NCS would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations to prevent illicit arms and other prohibited goods from entering or passing through the country.

The Customs chief also reaffirmed the service’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, stronger border surveillance and closer collaboration with sister security agencies to dismantle networks involved in arms trafficking and other cross-border crimes.

By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has auctioned 22,175 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) seized by Operation Whirlwind along the Lagos-Ogun axis, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N32.1 million.

The National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Deputy Comptroller Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed this on Monday at the public auction held at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos.

Aliyu said the exercise was carried out on the directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to ensure transparency, accountability and proper handling of seized petroleum products in line with extant laws and approved procedures.

He said Customs operatives intercepted 887 jerry cans, each containing 25 litres of petrol, bringing the total to 22,175 litres. Five vehicles used to convey the products were also seized.

According to Aliyu, the seizures were made at identified smuggling flashpoints, including Imeko, Ilara, Ilaro, Idiroko and Seme-Badagry, following credible intelligence.

He put the combined DPV of the seized petrol and means of conveyance at N32.1 million, describing the operation as targeted and intelligence-driven.

Aliyu said Operation Whirlwind was focused on stopping the illegal movement, diversion and cross-border smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries.

He said the NCS had stepped up surveillance, intelligence gathering and enforcement along routes identified as vulnerable to petroleum product smuggling.

The initiative, he added, was aimed at protecting the country’s economic interests, strengthening national energy security and ensuring that products meant for domestic consumption were not diverted.

Aliyu urged participants and stakeholders to follow the approved auction guidelines to ensure a fair and transparent exercise.

He commended the Comptroller-General and the NCS management for their support and strategic direction, while also appreciating the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for their continued collaboration.

He praised officers and men of Operation Whirlwind Zone A for their professionalism and commitment to duty, warning smugglers that the operation would continue to dismantle illegal networks through intelligence-led enforcement.

The Customs coordinator also called on border communities to provide timely information on suspicious activities, stressing that tackling smuggling required the cooperation of all stakeholders.

The Acting Commandant of the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Deputy Comptroller Patience Ita, said the Comptroller-General had maintained a zero-tolerance stance on the smuggling of petroleum products and other goods.

Ita, who hosted the auction, said the exercise should serve as a warning to smugglers, noting that even small-scale diversion of petroleum products could have serious consequences for the national economy.