RCMP Lauds Nigeria Customs for Boosting Border Security in West Africa

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been lauded for its unwavering commitment to safeguarding borders and disrupting transnational organised crime through strategic partnerships and intelligence-driven operations.

This is according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) International Special Services.

The recognition follows the recent recovery of 12 luxury vehicles by the RCMP Liaison Office in Lagos, adding to the 53 earlier recovered.

This brings the total number of stolen Canadian vehicles intercepted in Nigeria to 65.

These recoveries were made possible through the strong collaboration between the NCS, the RCMP, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Interpol Nigeria.

The commendation was formally made during an official ceremony held on Wednesdaay at the Canadian High Commission in Abuja.

A statement on Sunday by the Spokesperson of Customs, Abdullai Maiwada, the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, His Excellency Pasquale Salvaggio, at the occasion presented an Award of Recognition to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his leadership and the pivotal role of the Service in the fight against cross-border crimes.

In the citation read at the event, the Canadian envoy praised CGC Adeniyi for his sustained contributions to disrupting the operations of international crime syndicates and highlighted specific cases.

This includes the interception of various exotic vehicles worth millions of dollars, as well as the seizure of several kilograms of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as ‘loud’, smuggled from Canada into Nigeria through multiple ports, airports and other unapproved routes.

“Through the support of the Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with Canadian and Nigerian law enforcement agencies, we have disrupted key international crime networks and safeguarded the integrity of our borders,” Salvaggio stated.

In his response, CGC Adeniyi appreciates the Government of Canada and reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to strengthening international cooperation in combating illicit trade.

“This recognition reflects the success of our collaborative approach. We value our strong relationships with the RCMP, CBSA, EFCC, NDLEA, and Interpol. Together, we have delivered tangible results that benefit both our countries and global trade,” the CGC remarked.

He also advocates formalising the growing partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Canadian Border Services Agency to institutionalise cooperation on enforcement, intelligence exchange, and training.

Highlighting the global nature of modern crime, CGC Adeniyi emphasised that deeper engagement between Customs administrations across continents is crucial, especially as Nigeria and Canada are active members of the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

The RCMP, represented by Director General of International Special Services, Liam Price, acknowledges the partnership with Nigeria Customs has significantly strengthened Canada’s international enforcement efforts and remains vital in tackling organised criminal networks.

Also honoured at the event were heads of Nigeria’s key enforcement agencies, including Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the EFCC; Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), Chairman/CEO of the NDLEA (represented by Barr. Shadrac Haruna); and Inspector General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, represented by AIG Olaolu Adegbite of Interpol Nigeria.