By Correspondent in Lagos.
The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called for deeper collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to strengthen the security of Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The Comptroller of the Command, Mr. Patrick Ntadi, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Immigration officer in charge of the Lagos Seaport and Marine Command.
Ntadi said the visit was aimed at fostering inter-agency synergy, particularly in intelligence sharing, to boost efforts in promoting legitimate trade and curbing smuggling activities along the nation’s waterways.
“Our presence here is to deepen collaboration on intelligence sharing. This is vital to achieving our core mandate of trade facilitation and anti-smuggling operations,” he said.
He noted that while officers operating on land could easily call for support in emergencies, maritime personnel often face greater risks, especially at night.
According to him, improved cooperation with sister agencies such as the NIS would enhance rapid response and safety at sea.
“The sea is a difficult terrain. Unlike on land, an officer at sea cannot easily call for help. But with proper collaboration, especially with agencies like Immigration and DSS, we can respond better to threats and incidents,” he explained.
The Comptroller reaffirmed the commitment of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to a three-pronged strategy of collaboration, consolidation, and innovation in enhancing the service’s operations.
He emphasized the need for regular training and reorientation of junior officers to instill a culture of teamwork and collaboration in field operations.
Responding, Mr. Shamsudeen Mustapha, Head of Human Resources Management at the Lagos Seaport and Marine Command of the NIS, commended the Customs Service for initiating the visit.
Mustapha expressed optimism that the renewed collaboration would have a positive impact on operational efficiency, adding that the NIS looked forward to further engagements and sensitization sessions with Customs.
In a separate engagement, Comptroller Ntadi held a closed-door meeting with Mr. Babajide Adisa, a Director in the Department of State Services (DSS), where discussions also centered on enhancing intelligence sharing and coordinated security efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s maritime assets.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
