CUSTOMS CALLS FOR DEEPER INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION TO TACKLE CROSS-BORDER CRIMES

CUSTOMS CALLS FOR DEEPER INTER-AGENCY COOPERATION TO TACKLE CROSS-BORDER CRIMES

By Prince Benson Davies

The Nigeria Customs Service has reiterated that combating terrorism financing, money laundering, wildlife trafficking and other transnational crimes requires closer coordination, timely intelligence sharing and joint operational frameworks among security and regulatory agencies.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated this on 21 May 2026 while receiving participants of the Operational Level Countering the Financing of Terrorism and Regional Security Course 2 (CFTRSC – OPL2) from the National Defence College at the Customs Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

He commended the growing capacity development within the Service, as well as the participation of officers drawn from various formations across the country.

Adeniyi described Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as a significant milestone that restored investor confidence and strengthened the country’s global financial standing.

He explained that, before Nigeria’s exit from the grey list, Nigerian-issued bank cards faced restrictions abroad, which affected international transactions and the nation’s image.

According to him, the role of Customs has evolved beyond revenue generation and border enforcement, noting that offences such as undervaluation, overvaluation, wildlife trafficking, illicit movement of African resources, and other trade-based violations now constitute major financial crimes.

He further disclosed ongoing collaboration with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and airline operators on automated currency declaration systems.

“For us to get ahead of these criminals, we must continue to work together and subject our individual mandates to broader national security objectives,” he said.

Earlier, the Team Lead and Course Director Coordinator, Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CTCOIN/CFT) Unit at the National Defence College, Dr Adam Abdullahi, noted that terrorism financing remains the lifeline of terrorism globally.

He stressed the need for collaboration among the Department of State Services (DSS), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Armed Forces, Customs, and other relevant agencies to ensure effective coordination.

“The lifeline of terrorism is financing, and tackling it cannot be done by one institution alone,” he said.

In his presentation, the officer in charge of the Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) Unit of NCS, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Mas’ud Salihu, explained how criminal networks exploit global trade routes and digital platforms to move illicit funds and contraband across borders. He said Customs remains focused on enforcing currency declaration rules, intercepting prohibited goods, and leveraging technology to detect suspicious transactions, while calling for sustained cooperation at both national and international levels to close gaps exploited by criminal syndicates.