Customs, DSS collaborate to combat smuggling, arms proliferation

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has declared that it would continue to cement its strong collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS) to combat the adverse effects of smuggling and arms proliferation on Nigeria’s soil.

This was made known by the Ag. Comptroller-General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Tuesday when he paid a familiarization visit to the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, at DSS Headquarters, Abuja.

The Customs boss, who appreciated Mr Bichi for his warm reception despite short notice, emphasized that maintaining a mutual partnership between the two agencies will go a long way in enhancing national security.

“I hereby extend the Nigeria Customs Service’s friendly hands to solicit your support for better service to our dear country – which will intensify border security across the country,” he said.

He also appreciated the DG for availing an opportunity to some of his senior officers to take part in special courses at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), stating that the development has broadened their capacity in discharging their constitutional duties.

Responding, the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, commended the Comptroller-General of Customs for his ‘notable’ resilience in carrying out the affairs of the Service, since his appointment.

Continuing his address, DG Bichi affirmed that “teamwork is the basis for success in the fight against insecurity as no agency can do it alone.”

He further highlighted that sustaining the Customs-DSS synergy will be a game changer in the counter-threat actions across border areas, pledging that his office will continue to provide intelligence to Customs to aid their performance.

He pledged to make DSS facilities available for training and retraining of middle cadre customs officers.

As a mark of commitment to his pronouncements, the DG immediately directed his relevant departments to urgently engage their Customs counterparts for the required synergy to actualize national security objectives.

He also took the CGC on a tour of critical infrastructure before the team returned to the Customs Headquarters.