Customs Declares War on Arms Importation into Nigeria

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has expressed its commitment to engage member countries of World Customs Organisation, WCO, to combat the danger of importation of illicit arms and ammunition into the country.

National Public Relations Officer, NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, stated this at a news conference organized by the Strategic Communication Interagency Policy Committee, SCIPC, in Abuja on Thursday.

The committee was established by the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, while the conference is hosted by the Nigeria Police Force.

SCIPC is a committee of the spokespersons of the military, police, intelligence and response agencies.

Maiwada said that the Comptroller-General, NCS, had promised to resuscitate the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between Nigeria and Turkey Customs Administration, on how to curtail the menace of smuggling of small arms and light weapons into Nigeria.

He explained that the NCS had recently signed an MoU, with General Administration of China Customs, stressing that most of the drugs they intercepted came from India.

”We are working towards having what is called Customs to Customs Cooperation between those of us that are within the WCO.

”Customs to Customs cooperation is part of the strategy to ensure trade facilitation and cut illicit trade.

”So, we are working together with those customs administration, and at the higher level, there will also be diplomatic engagement which is above us now,” he said.