NIGERIA CUSTOMS PLUGS INTO INTERPOL NETWORK TO TACKLE CROSS-BORDER CRIME

NIGERIA CUSTOMS PLUGS INTO INTERPOL NETWORK TO TACKLE CROSS-BORDER CRIME
By Prince Benson Davies

The Nigeria Customs Service has taken a major step to strengthen border security by linking its operations to INTERPOL’s global intelligence system. A new data centre has been activated at the Service’s Headquarters in Abuja, giving officers direct access to one of the world’s largest databases on transnational crime.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a live demonstration of the facility. He described the deployment as a turning point in the Service’s push toward technology-driven operations and intelligence-led enforcement. According to him, modern customs work now goes beyond routine checks and revenue collection, with digital tools playing a central role in tracking and disrupting organized crime.

Adeniyi said the Service is also preparing to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding with INTERPOL. The agreement, he noted, will deepen collaboration on information sharing, investigations, and capacity building between both organizations. He further spoke on the Service’s home-grown digital platform, B’Odogwu, calling it a homegrown innovation that can improve trade facilitation not only in Nigeria but across other African customs administrations.

Speaking at the event, INTERPOL Consultant, Chikwe Udensi, said the Abuja centre is the eighth of its kind on the continent. It connects Nigerian officers to over 152 international criminal databases, covering records on stolen vehicles, vessels, cargo, parcels, and other goods in transit. Udensi explained that the system allows officers to immediately check if an item or conveyance has been flagged anywhere in the world. This, he said, will strengthen investigations, improve border surveillance, and support revenue protection through real-time intelligence.

The Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Timi Bomodi, said the platform has already been fully integrated into the Service’s ICT infrastructure and that personnel have completed training on how to use it. He added that beyond security, the system also enhances the Service’s ability to profile cargo, verify valuations, and assess risk by providing accurate details on the description and origin of goods.

With the new data centre in place, the Nigeria Customs Service says it is better positioned to respond faster to emerging threats, support regional security efforts, and facilitate legitimate trade through smarter, data-driven processes.