The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has sought collaboration with the marine police and narcotics officials to combat smuggling of ammunition and drugs through waterways.
The Customs Area Controller, Patrick Ntadi, made the plea when his team visited the Marine Police and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) commands in Lagos on Wednesday.
Ntadi said his visit was to build more synergy to enable them have robust relationship in achieving more success in their core assignments of maritime security in the country.
He advocated for collaboration through intelligence sharing among the security agencies.
“In customs operations, the first person to ask for backup is police. It is only when we assist each other that we achieve more success.
“We need to resolve the issue of rivalry between lower level officers of customs and police. The officer sees operations as competition. I believe as time goes on we will resolve that.
“The level of unwanted substances that could come through the waterways are much compared to the land that is why we need to collaborate to assist our incoming generation to benefit from our untapped resources.
“There is a lot of insecurity in the system which is affecting our economy,” Ntadi said.
Also speaking, the AIG Maritime Police Command, Musa Garba, said that no organisation could succeed without synergy.
He frowned at the issue of rivalry adding that he had been an advocate in ensuring issue of rivalry was resolved.
Garba advised officers to always talk to their colleagues to shun rivalry and adopt collaboration for the betterment of the country.
“No organisation have the monopoly to do it alone.
” I want to assure you, I, as the AIG Maritime Command in charge of Western and Eastern ports of the country please feel free to call on me for any support you want police to do in the course of your duties,”Garba said.
During his visit to the (NDLEA), Marine Command in Lagos, Ntadi called for seamless operations between customs and the agency.
He acknowledged that no agency was superior to another, adding that officers of both agencies should collaborate to stop illicit drugs into the country.
Ntadi said before now Nigeria was import independent but due to exportation which expanded customs operations as they seek collaboration to stop smuggling of unwanted substances into the country.
“In achieving our mandate, we must interface and if we collaborate, the success story will be more.
“Officers should shun rivalry as it affects our operations. Please let me know if there are issues you notice from customs officers so that we can come in a address it on time,”Ntadi said.
In his response, the NDLEA Marine Commander, Mr Emmanuel Udoh, commended the Customs for the robust collaboration with the NDLEA.
He said he had received three seizures of cannabis sativa with suspect from customs since he assumed office.
Udoh acknowledged customs support for providing them with logistics whenever they come to receive intercept cannabis from the command.
