Customs police unit critical to tackling smuggling, strengthening national security – Adeniyi
Omeiza Bilal
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has underscored the strategic importance of the Customs Police Unit (CPU) in strengthening national security, combating smuggling and ensuring effective enforcement of customs laws.
Adeniyi said the unit occupied a central position in the Service’s enforcement architecture, stressing that its effectiveness was critical to checking illicit trade, investigating criminal activities within the Service and ensuring that customs officers exercised their statutory powers responsibly.
He spoke on Thursday at the inaugural custom police Summit 2026 themed:” Reimagining customs policing: Learning from the past , Resounding to the present, and preparing for the future”.
The Customs police unit was established in 2019 with a mandate to investigate erring personnel, prevent crime and ensure compliance with established standards.
Adeniyi noted that criminal networks had become increasingly sophisticated, exploiting the same trade routes used by legitimate businesses to move firearms and their components, narcotics, counterfeit medicines, protected wildlife and illicit financial flows, often through digital channels.
According to him, the changing nature of criminal activities requires the Customs Police Unit to strengthen its intelligence, investigative and enforcement capabilities to respond effectively to emerging security threats.
He recalled that although customs administration in Nigeria dates back to 1891, with preventive enforcement activities introduced in 1945, the inauguration of the CPU marked a significant development in strengthening internal discipline and enforcement within the Service.
He said the founding principle of the unit, which stipulates that no officer is above the law, remained relevant, adding that the unit must uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
The Customs boss, however, cautioned that the exercise of police powers must be guided by the rule of law, noting that the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 had provided the Service with extensive enforcement powers.
He stressed that every search, arrest and detention must be legally justified and capable of withstanding public scrutiny and judicial assessment.
“Before we demand integrity from traders and the public, we must demonstrate it ourselves. Authority also requires restraint,” he said.
Adeniyi further argued that enforcement efforts would achieve limited results if pursued in isolation, calling for stronger collaboration between the Customs Police Unit and other security and law enforcement agencies.
He listed 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) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) among institutions whose cooperation was necessary to combat illicit trade.
According to him, no single institution can defeat organised illicit trade without effective partnerships and intelligence sharing.
He also identified technology and data-driven intelligence as critical tools for improving the operational capacity of the CPU, pointing to the Service’s digital platforms, data centre, advanced scanners and access to global criminal databases as opportunities to strengthen investigations.
He said the Customs Police Unit must leverage artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence tools and electronic cargo tracking to improve investigations and enforcement operations.
However, he warned that technological innovations must operate within established legal safeguards, with adequate provisions for data protection, accountability and human oversight.
On collaboration, he urged the CPU to deepen operational relationships with relevant security agencies, border communities and other stakeholders, while innovation should focus on deploying modern technologies to improve intelligence gathering and investigations.
Adeniyi also challenged the unit to review some of its original operational responsibilities in view of technological advancements, particularly the monitoring of containers in transit.
He recalled that when the CPU was established in 2019, monitoring containers in transit was among the responsibilities assigned to it.
However, he said improvements in technology had provided better mechanisms for tracking and managing cargo movements, making it necessary for the unit to reassess its mandate and identify areas where it could deploy its personnel more effectively.
He urged participants at the conference to develop practical recommendations on joint operational protocols, evidence management, intelligence sharing, responsible use of artificial intelligence and improved training and welfare for CPU personnel.
In a welcome remark earlier, Deputy Comptroller and Acting Provost’s Marshall TS Sanusi notes that Customs cannot achieve its core function of revenue generation in the absence of a disciplined and compliant offices.
“Discipline must not be enforced, it must be internalized. We can’t enforce disciples in others if we fail to be disciplined”, said Customs provost Marshall.
