The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Police Force command in Lagos State, have resolved to strengthen collaboration in crime fighting and intelligence gathering.
This decision was made at a courtesy visit by the Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Ikeja Lagos, Comptroller Muhammad Shuaibu to the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Mr Olohundare Jimoh.
The meeting was held on Thursday at the command’s Headquarters in Ikeja.
During the visit, Shuaibu said it was important that police and customs synergised for security of Lagos and the country at large.
“The purpose of our visit is to consolidate, collaborate, synergise, and to transform on whatever there is between the police and the customs.
“All we are doing for our nation, the nation is only one we have and so, we have to guide it jealously.
“We enjoy more of your synergy and more of your support than any other organisation as the police is the lead agency when it comes to internal security”, he said.
According to the NCS boss, the customs still need the police support in a lot of areas, mostly in terms of criminalities and information sharing.
“From time to time, whatever we do as internal investigation, bordering criminality outside customs operation, we still have to come to the conventional police to tap, and then continue the process of investigation.
“The nation today is full of criminal activities and we thank God that the police in Lagos are on top of the situation, ” the comptroller said.
Responding, the commissioner assured him that the meeting would further strengthen the existing collaboration between customs and the police in their joint security efforts.
“We have been working together over the years, we will ensure that our relationships are more strengthened for better service delivery.
“The police and customs are siblings and partners in ensuring that Lagos, the Centre of Excellence, remained secure and safe.
“I want to assure you that we are going to strengthen this cooperation to achieve maximum productivity for the nation.
“On a daily basis, we do a lot of things in common to ensure that we are serving the same father, which is the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the same populace, which is the Nigerian populace.
“We must be on the same page all the time, ” the police boss said.
According to the commissioner, the mandate of police and customs has to do with internal security in ensuring the ultimate goal of securing Lagos state and all areas under its jurisdiction.
