In a renewed drive to tackle cross-border crimes and improve national security, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have strengthened their collaboration through enhanced operational strategies, technological innovation, and coordinated personnel training.
The Nigeria Customs Service, led by Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has announced the dissolution of the Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT), which was set up in 2019 under the auspices of the ECOWAS Joint Border Security Initiative. The move is part of its 2025 enforcement strategy aimed at reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies and trade barriers while strengthening border surveillance.
According to Adeniyi, the Service is shifting towards intelligence-driven border control mechanisms. The use of geospatial technologies, data analytics, and smart surveillance systems is being scaled up to better detect and prevent smuggling and other cross-border infractions. The Customs boss emphasised that the Service would continue to maintain strategic alliances with security agencies, both domestic and international, to improve enforcement and streamline the flow of legitimate trade.
In tandem with this development, the Nigeria Immigration Service has upgraded its operational command infrastructure by linking its systems with Interpol and other international security bodies. This move allows for real-time identification and pre-profiling of international passengers, a key measure to detect and intercept persons of interest or those linked to criminal activities. The integration is part of a wider security enhancement agenda being championed by the Federal Government.
In another significant step, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has begun training Customs, Immigration, and airport personnel for the deployment of 1,000 body cameras. These devices, which offer real-time monitoring, are expected to be worn by frontline officers at major airports. The initiative seeks to increase accountability, reduce the harassment of travelers, and improve transparency in border and airport operations.
Also reinforcing these developments is the growing synergy between the Customs, Immigration, and the Lagos State Police Command. In recent weeks, the collaboration led to the interception of a suspicious consignment of military equipment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Preliminary investigations linked the shipment to an international source, raising concerns over the use of Nigeria’s air borders for trafficking illicit arms.
Furthermore, efforts are underway to install smart technologies across Nigeria’s land borders. These include biometric scanners, AI-based monitoring systems, automated entry points, and improved communication infrastructure. The goal is to secure border communities, facilitate smoother trade across the West African sub-region, and block illegal migration and trafficking routes.
As Nigeria continues to face threats from transnational crime, terrorism, and economic sabotage, the closer cooperation between Customs and Immigration is seen as a critical step toward ensuring national security and reinforcing the integrity of the country’s borders. Stakeholders have commended the inter-agency cooperation and called for sustained government support to expand the reforms across all entry and exit points nationwide.
