By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has called on officers and men of the Customs Police Unit (CPU) to uphold discipline, professionalism and integrity, stressing that accountability must begin within the Service.

Adeniyi made the call while delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Customs Police Summit 2026, held at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja.

The summit, with the theme, “Reimagining Customs Policing: Learning From the Past, Responding to the Present, and Preparing for the Future,” brought together customs personnel and representatives of security and law enforcement agencies to discuss ways of strengthening the unit and preparing it for emerging enforcement challenges.

The Customs boss, who is also the Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, said the Service must first demonstrate the discipline and integrity it expects from traders and members of the public.

He described the Customs Police Unit as a critical part of the Service’s internal control system, noting that its responsibility goes beyond investigating misconduct to ensuring that officers exercise their powers within the confines of the law.

According to him, the unit, formally inaugurated in July 2019, was established to investigate erring personnel, prevent crime and promote compliance, guided by the principle that no officer is above the law.

He said the experience of the Service over the years had reinforced three important lessons: integrity must begin at home, enforcement powers must be exercised responsibly, and effective policing requires cooperation among relevant institutions.

The Comptroller-General expressed concern over the growing sophistication of criminal networks, which he said were increasingly exploiting legitimate trade routes and digital platforms to move illicit goods, including firearm components, narcotics, counterfeit medicines, protected wildlife and proceeds of illegal activities.

He maintained that tackling these threats required more than aggressive enforcement, calling instead for smarter, intelligence-driven operations supported by technology and international best practices.

Adeniyi pointed to several World Customs Organization instruments, including the SAFE Framework, Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, advance rulings, Time Release Study and Revised Kyoto Convention, as important tools for promoting compliance, facilitating legitimate trade and reducing opportunities for corruption.

He also highlighted the role of technology and data management in strengthening customs operations, citing the B’Odogwu platform, which integrates declarations, valuation, risk management and AEO processes.

He added that the INTERPOL Data Centre at Customs Headquarters had provided the Service with access to global criminal databases, while the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 had strengthened the legal foundation for intelligence-led operations, joint border activities and mutual administrative assistance.

The CGC identified Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation as the three pillars that must shape the future of customs policing.

He explained that consolidation would require stronger operational procedures, improved investigations, properly documented cases for prosecution and continuous professional development of personnel.

He called for closer 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), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), neighbouring countries and border communities.

He also encouraged the Service to take advantage of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, advanced scanners, geospatial tools and electronic cargo tracking, to improve investigations and strengthen enforcement operations.

Adeniyi urged participants to use the summit to develop practical recommendations, including a Customs Police doctrine based on the NCS Act 2023 and Revised Arusha Declaration, improved protocols for joint operations and evidence management, guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in investigations, and better training and welfare for CPU personnel.

Addressing officers of the unit, he reminded them that their red berets represented the confidence Nigerians placed in the Service and must therefore be worn with discipline, restraint and pride.

He stressed that integrity remained the greatest badge of honour for every customs officer.

The Acting Provost Marshal of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller TS Sanusi, described the summit as an important step towards strengthening the institutional capacity and repositioning the Customs Police Unit.

Sanusi said the unit was established to provide a dedicated structure for maintaining discipline, investigating misconduct and ensuring compliance with professional standards among personnel and stakeholders.

He observed that the Service could not effectively enforce laws and regulate international trade without having strong mechanisms to promote discipline and accountability within its own ranks.

He added that the increasing challenges of transnational organised crime, illicit financial flows, corruption and emerging security threats had made the work of the Customs Police Unit more important.

The Acting Provost Marshal expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General for his leadership, support and approval of funds for the inaugural summit, noting that the gesture reflected management’s commitment to strengthening the unit.

He also recognised the contributions of former Provost Marshals and personnel who helped establish the unit’s operational structures and professional standards.

Sanusi urged serving personnel to lead by example, insisting that discipline must begin with them if they were to earn the respect and confidence required to enforce it among others.

In his remarks, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs at Headquarters, MS Shuaibu, called for a renewed approach to customs policing, with greater emphasis on professionalism, intelligence gathering and institutional accountability.

Shuaibu said the summit provided an opportunity to reflect on the unit’s achievements, address existing challenges and develop strategies to respond to changing global trade patterns and security threats.

He acknowledged the unit’s contributions to internal discipline, investigation of infractions and the protection of the Service’s interests, but stressed the need to continually improve its operational capacity.

He identified intelligence gathering, surveillance, risk analysis, inter-agency cooperation and modern investigative techniques as key areas requiring attention.

The ACG further emphasised that the exercise of police powers must be guided by respect for human rights and due process, warning that enforcement must never become an excuse for unjust treatment.

He urged officers to remain firm but lawful, courageous but responsible, and impartial in carrying out their responsibilities.

By Mvendaga Orjime, Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate alleged cash and gift distributions at political gatherings organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party’s Presidential Campaign Council, through its Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The call followed the circulation of a video purportedly showing the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, distributing bundles of cash and APC-branded wrappers to women at a political gathering in Rivers State.

Shaibu urged the two agencies to investigate the reported distributions and publicly disclose the steps they would take to establish whether electoral or currency laws had been breached.

He alleged that the ruling party was attempting to secure political support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections through financial inducements.

“The pattern is becoming impossible to ignore. From reports of luxury vehicles presented to APC women leaders, to cash and cooked food distributed by the President’s son through the City Boy Movement, and now videos circulating of an APC women leader handing out money and fabrics, the ruling party appears to be treating political support as something that can be bought,” the statement said.

The ADC also questioned what it described as different standards in the enforcement of laws governing the use of the naira, arguing that ordinary Nigerians had faced prosecution over alleged currency abuse while similar questions surrounding political cash distributions remained unanswered.

It called on the EFCC and INEC to examine the reported incidents and take appropriate action if any violations were established.

The opposition party further criticised the Tinubu administration over economic hardship, insecurity and public debt, insisting that political support should be earned through good governance rather than cash and material gifts.

The APC had not responded to the specific demand for an investigation in the reports reviewed.

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) said its African Sub-Sovereign Governments Network (AFSNET) has facilitated investment opportunities worth more than three billion dollars across 21 African countries, including Nigeria, in five years.

Director of Trade Facilitation and Investment Promotion at Afreximbank, Gainmore Zanamwe, disclosed this on Thursday in Calabar during a news conference at the sixth edition of the AFSNET platform.

Zanamwe said the initiative had also trained more than 2,000 people in investment promotion, entrepreneurship and project development to strengthen their capacity to identify opportunities and attract financing.

He explained that the platform was established in 2021 to extend Afreximbank’s development interventions beyond national governments to states and other sub-national authorities.

According to him, the initiative seeks to connect entrepreneurs, investors and financial institutions while enabling states to maximise opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and the creative industry.

He said the platform was also designed to ensure that young African entrepreneurs benefited from opportunities created by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Zanamwe explained that although AfCFTA was negotiated by national governments, sub-national authorities and businesses needed to understood its provisions and position themselves to benefit from emerging continental markets.

He said the initiative was helping businesses identify investment opportunities, develop bankable projects and access potential investors beyond their immediate environments.

He added that Nigerian entrepreneurs could explore markets in countries such as South Africa and Ghana, as well as other destinations across the continent.

The director said Afreximbank was targeting all 55 African countries but prioritising those requiring technical support to develop their investment promotion capacity.

He disclosed that the bank had also committed a two-billion-dollar facility under the initiative to support agricultural production, processing and exports.

“Some people say funding is a problem. From Afreximbank, we say no. The two billion is there.

“We have this facility ready to finance projects. We will be showing you how you can tap into the two billion to do your projects,” he said.

Zanamwe urged state governments to develop clear investment visions, identify priority projects and package them appropriately to attract investors and financial institutions.

He said Afreximbank was also strengthening state investment promotion agencies through training in project identification, development and investment readiness.

According to him, the platform will promote African Direct Investments by encouraging investors within the continent to finance viable projects in other African countries.

He said the sixth edition of the network would also prepare Nigerian businesses and investment institutions for the next Intra-African Trade Fair, scheduled to hold in Lagos between from Nov. 5 and Nov. 11, 2027.

Zanamwe said the broader objective was to stimulate intra-African trade, promote industrialisation and create decent employment opportunities, particularly for young people across the continent.

He expressed optimism that the engagement would strengthen collaboration among governments, entrepreneurs, investment promotion agencies and financial institutions.

This year’s AFSNET edition is holding in Calabar between Thursday and Sunday. (NAN)