The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reiterated the need for stronger collaboration, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency synergy in combating terrorism financing, money laundering, wildlife trafficking, and other forms of transnational organised crimes across the country.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated this on Wednesday during a study tour by 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.
Adeniyi commended the growing investment in capacity development within the Service and praised the participation of officers drawn from various Customs formations nationwide.
He described Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as a major achievement that has restored investor confidence and strengthened the nation’s international financial reputation.
According to him, Nigeria’s placement on the grey list had previously affected the country’s global financial image, with Nigerian-issued bank cards facing restrictions abroad and international transactions becoming more difficult.
The Customs boss noted that the responsibilities of the Service now extend beyond revenue generation and border enforcement, stressing that crimes such as undervaluation, overvaluation, wildlife trafficking, and illicit movement of African resources have evolved into serious financial crimes with global implications.
He also disclosed that the NCS is collaborating with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and airline operators to deploy automated currency declaration systems aimed at improving monitoring and compliance.
“For us to get ahead of these criminals, we must continue to work together and subject our individual mandates to broader national security objectives,” Adeniyi said.
Earlier, the Team Lead and Course Director Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Unit at the National Defence College, Adam Abdullahi, stressed that terrorism financing remains the backbone of terrorist activities globally.
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He emphasised the need for closer 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 effectively tackle the threat.
“The lifeline of terrorism is financing, and tackling it cannot be done by one institution alone,” he stated.
In a presentation during the session, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Mas’ud Salihu, who heads the Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorism Financing Unit of the NCS, highlighted how criminal networks exploit global supply chains and digital connectivity to move illicit funds and goods across borders.
Salihu noted that the Customs Service plays a critical role in enforcing currency declaration policies and intercepting prohibited items, including arms and illicit drugs, while advocating stronger cooperation at both local and international levels.
