The Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone ‘A’, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs (ACG) Mohammed Babandede, has received the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Mustapha, in Lagos as both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening inter-agency collaboration against smuggling, maritime crime and other threats to national security.
The high-level engagement reinforced the longstanding partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Navy, with both sides pledging to deepen cooperation in intelligence sharing, enforcement and border security.
During the engagement, Babandede said the mandate of the NCS extends beyond revenue generation to implementing government trade policies and agreements, protecting local industries and safeguarding national security through the monitoring of prohibited and harmful goods.
“The government doesn’t just collect money. It is also interested in protecting local industries and creating jobs,” he said.
ACG Babadende described the Armed Forces as the pride of the nation and commended the Nigerian Navy for its commitment to maritime security. He reaffirmed that collaboration with sister agencies remains one of the key policy thrusts of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, particularly in addressing the proliferation of Indian hemp, codeine, cocaine and other illicit substances across West Africa. He added that sustained inter-agency cooperation remains critical to strengthening institutional effectiveness and enhancing national security.
Speaking earlier, Rear Admiral Mustapha said the engagement provided an opportunity to introduce himself formally and to explore new areas of collaboration between the Western Naval Command and the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone ‘A’. He described the Service as a strategic national institution whose contributions to revenue generation and trade facilitation continue to strengthen Nigeria’s economy.
The Flag Officer Commanding commended the Service’s adoption of innovation, technology and artificial intelligence, saying the deployment of modern tools was making Customs’ operations more efficient and positioning the nation’s ports for greater competitiveness. “Customs is partnering with the government to upgrade some of the best ports. With innovation and technology, certain problems will become a thing of the past,” he said.
Mustapha added that enforcement remains a major point of convergence between the Navy and Customs, stressing that both agencies share the responsibility of combating criminality, securing Nigeria’s borders and disrupting illicit trade. He noted that while Customs plays a vital role in intercepting prohibited goods and illicit drugs, the Navy’s intelligence-driven maritime operations complement those efforts in safeguarding the nation’s territorial waters.
