The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has re-echoed its readiness to intensify surveillance and strict enforcement measures to ensure greater security and stability for all Nigerians by curbing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons across the country.
Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, made this known when he received a delegation of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), led by its National Coordinator, DIG Babatunde Kokumo (rtd), at the Service’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Addressing the entourage, CGC Adeniyi described the appointment of retired DIG Babatunde Kokumo as the National Coordinator of NCCSALW by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu as “placing a round peg in a round hole” — and expressed readiness to strengthen their old age alliance to promote public safety and security through advocacy and effective public awareness.
The CGC said, “I want to believe that you’ve brought a wealth of experience to this assignment, and I have no doubt that you will have a successful tour of duty. Let me also say that Nigeria Customs Service is delighted to collaborate with the centre to create your mandate.”
Lamenting on the security challenges in the West African sub-region, CGC Adeniyi intimated the National Coordinator of the Nigeria Customs Service’s modest contributions to ensuring proficient scrutiny of merchandise coming into the Nigerian shores to avoid letting them into the wrong hands.
He said, “You remember that some few days ago, we recorded a successful interception of arms and other military wares at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos. If you may recall, we’ve also had some similar seizures before in Port Harcourt Port, Onne. Earlier this year, we had some interception at the Tincan Ports with drugs.
“So there’s nothing that demonstrates the power of collaborations more than what this particular case has done for us. As a Service, we are interested in the lessons we should learn from these seizures. There’s a need to improve our investigations not just for those who bring in small arms and light weapons, but in encountering smugglers daily.”
Earlier in his address, the National Coordinator of NCCSALW, DIG Babatunde Kokumo (rtd), appreciated the Comptroller-General and members of his management team for all forms of collaboration and synergy that his centre enjoys from the NCS, adding, “Let me thank you for the opportunity accorded us to meet you, and I wish to let you know that we have been monitoring your activities.”
The National Coordinator further briefed the Comptroller-General, “It may interest the CGC, Sir, that the centre, being multi-agency by nature, has major government agencies, including customs officers, working at the centre fighting the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.”
He further commended the Comptroller-General for his recent achievements of seizing arms and ammunition in the ports, which, according to him, will go a long way in controlling the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria.