By Mardiyyah Abubakar
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, has called for stronger cooperation with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to combat smuggling and cross-border crimes.
The Acting Comptroller of FOU Zone A, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, made the call during a familiarisation visit to the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja.
According to a statement issued by the unit’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Hussaini Abdullahi, on Friday, the visit began on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen inter-agency collaboration.
Afeni said security agencies must work more closely as the country approaches the election period, warning that criminals could exploit the period to carry out illegal activities and disrupt the electoral process.
He said the Federal Operations Unit’s responsibilities extended beyond border enforcement to include protecting national interests through intelligence sharing and coordinated operations.
The Acting Comptroller stressed that no security agency could effectively tackle crime alone, urging relevant institutions to sustain information exchange and joint operations.
He also acknowledged the Nigeria Police Force’s intelligence-gathering capacity and called for stronger ties to improve security operations.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, welcomed the delegation, describing cooperation between the police and Customs as a longstanding relationship that had contributed to operational successes.
Fatai said the Lagos State Police Command maintained strong relationships with other security agencies despite the state’s large population.
The Customs delegation also visited the Department of State Services, the 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s Strategic Command, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Ikeja.
During the visit to the 81 Division headquarters, the General Officer Commanding, Major General Adebayo Abdulrahman Babalola, emphasised the need for joint efforts to combat crime. He also warned against administrative bottlenecks that could undermine operational efficiency.
The engagements focused on intelligence sharing, joint operations, information exchange and enforcement of relevant laws across Lagos and the wider operational area of FOU Zone A.
The Nigeria Customs Service said the visits reaffirmed its commitment to collaborative security operations, revenue protection, trade facilitation and the protection of Nigeria’s economic interests.
