NSA PRAISE CGC ADENIYI FOR HIS EFFORTS TO INTENSIFY SECURITY PRESENCE IN BORDER AREAS
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has praised the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, for his dedication to enhancing border security and intensifying efforts to combat petroleum product smuggling through increased surveillance and strategic measures.
During a high-level stakeholders meeting recently held at the NSA office in Abuja, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu commended Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi for his efforts to combat petroleum smuggling. Ribadu emphasized the urgency of the issue, noting that the meeting was specifically called to tackle the persistent challenge of petroleum smuggling, which poses a significant threat to Nigeria’s economic stability and national security.
In his opening address, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu lauded the Nigeria Customs Service’s achievements under Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi’s leadership, emphasizing the agency’s crucial role in securing the nation’s borders and protecting the economy’s integrity. He vehemently condemned petroleum smuggling, likening it to a “cancer that kills by siphoning off vital resources meant for national development and eroding government revenue.
Ribadu emphasized the need for a collaborative effort among the nation’s security agencies to combat the persistent threat of petroleum smuggling, warning that failure to do so would perpetuate instability in the oil sector and facilitate illicit activities across Nigeria’s borders. He expressed gratitude for the robust attendance of key stakeholders, including representatives from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and other relevant organizations.
Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi reaffirmed the Nigeria Customs Service’s unwavering commitment to executing its statutory responsibilities, particularly in the context of the NCS Act 2023, which he noted grants the agency enhanced powers to implement stringent measures against smuggling activities nationwide. He recognized the complexity of petroleum smuggling but expressed the Customs Service’s resolve to confront it, highlighting recent operations led by Comptroller Ejibunu aimed at dismantling smuggling syndicates.
“What we are doing here today is a clear demonstration of the good intentions of the Office of the National Security Adviser, which has provided us with a platform to mount and execute special operations against smuggling,” Adeniyi said.
He added, “The repositioning of Nigeria’s economy and the oil sector is a crucial objective, and as an organisation, the Nigeria Customs Service is ready to play its role in achieving this.”
The Customs Boss explained that the Service is leveraging innovative technologies to enhance border security, stating that “One key initiative is the integration of real-time monitoring systems, similar to those used by Dubai Customs, which have successfully employed blockchain technology to track and authenticate oil and gas movements.”
He also urged stakeholders to focus on transparency and accountability throughout the petroleum supply chain. He acknowledged that smuggling is driven by factors beyond the Customs Service’s control, but pledged that the NCS would not relent in its efforts to clamp down on the illegal trade.
“We remain committed to ensuring that legitimate businesses thrive, while at the same time, we will not hesitate to suppress any form of illegitimate activities in the petroleum sector,” Adeniyi said.
On his part, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, emphasised the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration, noting that anti-smuggling efforts require the combined strength of various government agencies, including the NCS, NMDPRA, NNPC Ltd., and security services.
Comptroller Ejibunu, who acknowledged the financial burden associated with conducting the operations, also called for an increase in funding and allocation of vehicles to the operatives of Operation Whirlwind.
The stakeholders, on their part, all agreed to show commitment to eliminating petroleum smuggling and securing Nigeria’s borders, stating, “We all dissociated ourselves from anything smuggling, and we’re in support of this operation, Operation Whirlwind.”
The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, while announcing the closure of the meeting, said a joint communique has been signed, as he further read some new resolutions that will set the ball rolling in terms of fighting against smuggling.
According to him, “Following extensive deliberations, a joint communique was signed by NSA Ribadu, Comptroller-General Adeniyi, and other key representatives, including officials from NNPC Limited, NMDPRA, and IPMAN. The communique outlined a series of resolutions aimed at curbing petroleum smuggling and protecting Nigeria’s economy.”
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