Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area, Idiroko Command, has solicited for stronger ties with Nigeria Police Force to curb smuggling activities at border zones in the state.
This is contained in a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Deputy Superintendent of NCS, Mr Chado Zakaria, on Thursday in Ota, Ogun.
According to the statement, the command hosted a high-level joint courtesy visit from the Area Commander of Nigeria Police, Idiroko and the border patrol commander.
Zakari said that the meeting centered on fostering an all-inclusive policing strategy to dismantle trans-border crime and economic sabotage.
He quoted the Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, as confirming that the Idiroko axis was currently calm.
Afeni, however, added that maintaining the stability required rigorous intelligence sharing and synchronised operations to neutralise smuggling networks.
The area comptroller emphasised that national security was the collective responsibility of everyone, urging the NCS and police personnel to see one another as allies rather than rivals in the field.
“This collaboration directly supports the Comptroller-General of NCS, Bashir Adeniyi’s core mandates of collaboration, consolidation and innovation.
“Also, we will continue to synergise, share intelligence and work together for the benefit of the state, and our commitment to fostering strong partnerships with all security agencies and stakeholders remain unwavering,” he said.
In his response, the Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, Idiroko, ACP Adejumo Segun, expressed strong desire to build upon the existing rapport between the two agencies.
Segun noted that the primary focus remained on ensuring the safety of residents in border communities.
He added that providing tactical support to NCS to curb illegal trade and sharing critical data to stay ahead of criminal elements operating along the Idiroko-Igolo border corridor remained critical
