The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have strengthened security collaboration to tackle smuggling, economic sabotage, financial crimes and illicit financial flows in Akwa Ibom State.

The Acting Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Nkiru Nwala, called for stronger intelligence sharing and coordinated operations among the agencies during separate visits to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command and the EFCC’s Uyo Zonal Directorate.

Customs Seeks Intelligence Sharing To Curb Smuggling, Trans-Border Crime

Customs Intercepts Two Containers Of Drugs Worth N3.67bn In Lagos  

Customs Intercepts 1.2 Tonnes Of Drugs Worth N3.674bn From Canada

Nwala said the growing complexity of security and economic crimes required closer cooperation among law enforcement agencies, particularly in addressing activities that threaten national security, undermine legitimate trade and weaken the economy.

According to a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Yireabasi Ukpong, the Customs boss identified smuggling, economic sabotage, financial crimes and the protection of critical national infrastructure as priority areas requiring sustained inter-agency collaboration.

At the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Nwala said the statutory responsibilities of Customs and the police depended largely on intelligence sharing, operational coordination and mutual institutional support.

She noted that Akwa Ibom’s coastal location and commercial activities presented significant economic opportunities but also imposed additional security responsibilities on law enforcement agencies.

She therefore called for stronger communication channels to facilitate the timely exchange of actionable intelligence and ensure swift responses to emerging threats.

The Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, welcomed the visit, highlighting areas of security concern in the state that required greater attention from both agencies.

Azare reaffirmed the police command’s readiness to sustain collaboration with Customs through intelligence sharing, joint security interventions and coordinated efforts to protect lives and property.

Similarly, during her visit to the EFCC’s Uyo Zonal Directorate, Nwala stressed the need for intelligence-driven operations and timely information sharing to combat increasingly sophisticated economic crimes.

She identified financial crimes, smuggling and illicit financial flows as major areas of concern, emphasising that stronger institutional partnerships were necessary to address the threats.

The Uyo Zonal Director of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC (ACE I) Oshodi Johnson, urged Customs officers to exercise caution on social media, warning that fraudsters were increasingly impersonating officers of the Service to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

Johnson said criminals used the names, photographs, ranks and official designations of Customs officers on online platforms to perpetrate fraud.

He warned that officers’ digital conduct had implications for their personal security and the institutional credibility of the Service.

In a related development, Nwala visited Liberty Oil and Gas in Ikot Abasi as part of her familiarisation engagements with major investors and enterprises operating within the Command’s area of responsibility.

During the visit on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, she was taken on a guided tour of the facility, where she inspected ongoing construction work and assessed the progress of the investment.

Describing the project as massive and well positioned for future growth, Nwala said it had significant potential for the oil and gas sector and the wider Nigerian economy.

The Controller of the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Comptroller Nyong, was also touring the facility at the time.

The Command said the engagements aligned with the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service, under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, to strengthening institutional partnerships, promoting professionalism and facilitating legitimate trade.

It added that the Service would continue to intensify efforts against activities capable of undermining national security and economic interests while supporting legitimate businesses and investments.