The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, has called for stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to combat smuggling and trans-border crimes, particularly ahead of the election period. The Acting Comptroller of FOU Zone A, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Olukayode Afeni, made the call during a familiarisation visit to the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja. According to a statement issued on Friday by the unit’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Hussaini Abdullahi, the visit commenced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, as part of broader engagements with security and law enforcement agencies in Lagos. Afeni warned that criminals could exploit the election period to engage in illicit activities capable of triggering crises, stressing that effective intelligence sharing and coordinated operations were essential to protecting national interests. He also acknowledged the police’s intelligence-gathering capacity and said no security agency could effectively tackle crime in isolation. Responding, Lagos State Commissioner of Police Tijani Fatai welcomed the visit, describing cooperation between the agencies as a longstanding practice that had contributed to operational successes.

The Customs delegation also visited the Department of State Services, the Headquarters of the Nigerian Army’s 81 Division, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Strategic Command, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Army’s 9 Brigade in Ikeja. During the visit to the 81 Division, the Acting Comptroller was received by the General Officer Commanding, Major General Adebayo Abdulrahman Babalola, who emphasised the importance of joint efforts in tackling criminality and warned against administrative bottlenecks that could undermine operational efficiency. The engagements provided an opportunity for the agencies to discuss intelligence sharing, joint operations, information exchange and the enforcement of relevant laws across Lagos and FOU Zone A’s wider operational area. The agencies reaffirmed their commitment to sustained cooperation with Customs to strengthen security and enforcement, protect government revenue, facilitate trade and safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests.

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