Customs disbands border patrol team amidst smuggling, brutality allegations

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the dissolution of its Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT). The Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, in a statement Tuesday, said the decision was made after due consultation with the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The House of Representatives had, on December 11, mandated […]

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the dissolution of its Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT).

The Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, in a statement Tuesday, said the decision was made after due consultation with the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The House of Representatives had, on December 11, mandated its Committees on Customs and Excise, Defence, to investigate the operations and activities of the NCS across the nation’s borders over alleged complicity in aiding smuggling and involvement in brutality against Nigerians.

The committees were also directed to examine the role of military personnel attached to Customs patrols in order to ensure their operations comply with legal frameworks and human rights standards.

• Foundation secures release of 40 inmates
• Keep faith with Tinubu’s govt, Southern senators urge Nigerians

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Sesi Whingan who alleged that rather than prevent smuggling, recent reports showed that Customs’ personnel across the borders were aiding and abetting smuggling.

But the Customs spokesman explained yesterday that the dissolution of the joint border patrol team was part of the NCS’ efforts to strengthen border management and reinvigorate its 2025 enforcement strategy.

The JBPT, coordinated by the ONSA, evolved from an ex-swift response team to become a tripartite operation comprising Benin Republic, Niger Republic and Nigeria.

The patrol team was tasked with combating smuggling, irregular migration, and other transnational organised crimes along the nations’ borders, among others.

Maiwada said the team’s dissolution would not compromise border security or trade facilitation, but represents a significant step towards modernising Customs’ operations, improving trade compliance and strengthening national security.

The NCS said the move was part of the organisation’s ‘2025 enforcement strategy’.

“This strategy is aimed at removing bottlenecks associated with trade, strengthening border security, combating smuggling, and facilitating legitimate trade,” he said.

Maiwada also disclosed that Adewale Adeniyi, NCS Comptroller-General, had approved the reduction of customs checkpoints across the country to streamline its operations and to ease movement of goods and persons.

According to the statement, Adeniyi said the NCS would shift reliance to intelligence.

“Moving forward, customs operations will rely more on actionable intelligence and strategic risk management frameworks to enhance efficiency and effectiveness,” the statement quoted the CG as saying.