Kaduna Customs Forges Stronger Security Alliances, Calls for Unified Front Against Smuggling
By Hussaina Yakubu
KADUNA, Dec 18, 2025 (NAN) – In a strategic move to combat increasingly sophisticated criminal networks, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kaduna Area Command, has launched a high-level initiative to formalize and deepen its collaboration with sister security agencies. This effort aims to transform inter-agency relations from occasional cooperation into a seamless, intelligence-driven security architecture.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Sa’ad Garba Hassan, embarked on a series of pivotal courtesy visits to the heads of major security and law enforcement formations within Kaduna State. This proactive outreach, detailed in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent Dauda Adamu, underscores a critical shift in strategy. It recognizes that modern threats like smuggling, which fuels economic sabotage and funds broader insecurity, cannot be tackled by any single agency working in a silo.
“The Nigeria Customs Service cannot operate in isolation,” Comptroller Hassan emphasized. “The security challenges we face are complex, adaptive, and often transnational. A unified front is not just beneficial; it is an operational imperative for national security.”
The CAC’s tour included high-stakes meetings with:
• Muhammad Rabiu, Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command.
• Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Wase, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division, Nigerian Army.
• Mr. Hakeem Abiola, State Director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
• Corps Commander Tijjani Yusuf, Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
• Mr. Usman Bawa Kaltungo, Zonal Director, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
• Commandant Panam Musa Buba, State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
This list reveals the comprehensive nature of the proposed alliance. Each agency brings a unique capability: the Army provides tactical muscle and border presence, the DSS offers deep intelligence, the Police have grassroots reach, the FRSC controls highway checkpoints, the EFCC follows the financial trails, and the NSCDC protects critical infrastructure. Integrating these functions creates a formidable net against smugglers.
Hassan highlighted that sustained collaboration is the bedrock of intelligence-driven enforcement. For example, real-time intelligence from the DSS on a smuggling syndicate’s movement can be acted upon by Customs at checkpoints, with Army backup for high-risk interdictions, while the EFCC simultaneously freezes the group’s assets. This multi-pronged attack disrupts the entire criminal enterprise, not just a single shipment.
He commended the existing partnerships, which have historically involved joint border patrols, intelligence exchange, and personnel protection. However, his appeal was for a systematic strengthening of this synergy—moving from ad-hoc cooperation to established protocols for data sharing, coordinated operations, and joint training exercises. This ensures faster response times and eliminates operational gaps that smugglers exploit.
In their responses, the heads of the various agencies unanimously applauded the initiative and pledged enhanced support. Their commitments pointed toward a new era of proactive collaboration, including more frequent intelligence briefings, dedicated liaison officers, and integrated planning for major operations. This collective pledge signals a shared understanding that the security of the state’s economy and the safety of its people are interconnected responsibilities.
Ultimately, this drive for unity serves a dual mandate: to secure the nation and to facilitate legitimate trade. By creating a more secure and predictable environment, businesses can thrive, and the government can collect rightful revenues. Comptroller Hassan reaffirmed that the Kaduna Area Command will continue to pursue every partnership that strengthens border management, suppresses economic sabotage, and contributes to national stability. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
HUM/BRM
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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
