By Harriet Tornguvan
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has underscored the need for enhanced collaboration among security and regulatory agencies to combat terrorism financing, money laundering, wildlife trafficking, and other transnational organised crimes threatening national and regional security.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the call 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, on May 21, 2026.
Adeniyi stressed that stronger intelligence sharing and coordinated operations among security institutions remain critical to staying ahead of increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
He commended ongoing capacity-building initiatives within the Service and lauded the participation of Customs officers from various formations nationwide, noting that professional development remains key to addressing evolving security challenges.
The Customs boss described Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list as a landmark achievement that has boosted investor confidence and strengthened the country’s standing within the global financial system.
According to him, prior to Nigeria’s removal from the grey list, Nigerian-issued bank cards faced restrictions overseas, negatively affecting international financial transactions and damaging the country’s image.
Adeniyi noted that the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service has expanded beyond revenue collection and border control to include tackling complex financial and economic crimes.
He explained that offences such as undervaluation, overvaluation, wildlife trafficking, and the illicit movement of African resources have become major channels for financial crimes and illicit financial flows.
The Comptroller-General also disclosed that the Service is collaborating with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and airline operators to implement automated currency declaration systems aimed at strengthening financial surveillance 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 stated.
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, Dr. Adam Abdullahi, described terrorism financing as the driving force behind terrorist activities worldwide.
He stressed the importance of coordinated action involving the Department of State Services (DSS), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Armed Forces, Customs, and other security agencies.
“The lifeline of terrorism is financing, and tackling it cannot be done by one institution alone,” Abdullahi said.
Also speaking during the session, the officer in charge of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Unit of the NCS, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Mas’ud Salihu, highlighted how criminal syndicates exploit global supply chains and interconnected financial systems to move illicit funds and prohibited goods across borders.
Salihu emphasised the Service’s role in enforcing currency declaration policies and intercepting prohibited items, including arms and narcotics, while advocating stronger domestic and international partnerships to curb transnational criminal activities.
