Border Security :  CGC Adeniyi meets NFIU DG, proposes establishment of joint working team 

Border Security :  CGC Adeniyi meets NFIU DG, proposes establishment of joint working team

In a concerted effort to enhance border security, in order to protect the economic environment from activities of saboteurs, the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Bashir Adeniyi MFR, received the delegation from Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

The team was led by NFIU Director General, Mrs Hafsat Bakari, to Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

CGC Adeniyi’s meeting with Mrs Bakari focused on sealing a strong working partnership that will enable the two agencies to take appropriate measures in enhancing border security through intensifying onslaught against smugglers, money launderers and other terrorism financing activities.

The CGC, while addressing NFIU officials, congratulated DG Bakari for her appointment to head the organisation. He expressed the commitment of Customs to support NFIU by way of establishing a joint team that will be tasked to address some pressing issues.

His assertions :  “I want to wish you a successful tenure. I see through your passion, your commitment to Project Nigeria and I also see the collaborative spirit that you brought on board. These are all the things that I share also because I believe that we can draw strength from each other, assist ourselves to get things done effectively.

“We need to form an internal team that will be drawn up from our side to review those outstanding issues, so that we begin to see, in a determined effort, what we can do”.

Speaking earlier, the NFIU Director-General, Hafsat Bakari, applauded Customs’ resilient commitment to safeguarding Nigerian borders, particularly in combating smuggling activities.

Emphasising the importance of information sharing, Mrs Bakari highlighted that her visit to the Headquarters of Nigeria Customs Service was to establish a cordial relationship with the Service in intelligence sharing.

She said, “We recognise the vital role of Customs in protecting Nigeria’s borders, preventing smuggling of illicit goods and also ensuring that those who import goods into our country pay appropriate fees and levies to the federal government.”

According to her, the ultimate goal of NFIU is to ensure the safety and prosperity of Nigeria, adding that, “we want to make sure that we have efficient system processes and technologies in place to identify smuggling of currency and other high-value items.”