The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, has charged the Customs Police Unit (CPU) to intensify efforts against internal corruption, misconduct and indiscipline, warning that no officer is above the law.
Adeniyi said the credibility of the Service’s enforcement operations depended on its ability to uphold integrity, accountability and professionalism within its own ranks.
He gave the charge while delivering the keynote address at the inaugural Customs Police Summit 2026, held at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja.
The Customs chief, who is also Chairperson of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, stressed that the Service could not effectively demand compliance from traders and members of the public without first demonstrating discipline and integrity among its personnel.
He recalled that the Customs Police Unit was formally inaugurated in July 2019 with the mandate to investigate erring personnel, prevent crime and ensure compliance with professional standards.
According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 provides the Service with police powers, but such authority must be exercised within the law, with every search, arrest and detention supported by lawful grounds and capable of withstanding public and judicial scrutiny.
“Charity begins at home. Before we demand integrity from traders and the public, we must show it ourselves,” Adeniyi declared.
He identified the growing sophistication of criminal networks involved in moving firearm components, narcotics, fake medicines, protected wildlife and illicit funds through legitimate trade routes and digital channels as a major challenge requiring stronger intelligence and coordinated enforcement.
To address these threats, he called for smarter enforcement through technology, intelligence gathering and international best practices, highlighting the importance of the WCO SAFE Framework, Authorised Economic Operator programme, advance rulings, Time Release Study and Revised Kyoto Convention.
Adeniyi also identified the B’Odogwu digital platform and the INTERPOL Data Centre at Customs Headquarters as critical tools for strengthening risk management, criminal intelligence, investigations and accountability
He outlined three strategic pillars for repositioning the Customs Police Unit: Consolidation, Collaboration and Innovation.
He explained that consolidation would involve establishing clear procedures for arrests, detention and investigations, developing court-ready case files and strengthening professional development.
On collaboration, he called for stronger operational partnerships with the Nigeria Police Force, Armed Forces, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Department of State Services (DSS), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), neighbouring countries and border communities.
He further advocated the deployment of artificial intelligence, advanced scanners, geospatial tools and electronic cargo tracking to improve investigations and enforcement.
However, the CGC warned that technology must operate within the confines of the law, insisting that human oversight, data protection and proper audit trails must guide the use of artificial intelligence in investigations.
He urged the summit to produce a Customs Police doctrine anchored in the NCS Act 2023 and the Revised Arusha Declaration, alongside practical protocols for joint operations, evidence management and information exchange.
He also called for recommendations on the responsible use of data and artificial intelligence, as well as improved training, welfare and professional recognition for Customs Police personnel.
Addressing officers and men of the unit, Adeniyi said the red beret represented the trust of Nigerians and the reputation of the Service, urging personnel to wear it with discipline, restraint and pride.
“Keep what is right, repair what is not, and build what comes next,” he charged, emphasising that integrity remained the greatest badge of every Customs Police officer.
Earlier, the Acting Provost Marshal, Saulawa Sanusi, said the Customs Police Unit was established in 2018 and formally inaugurated in 2019 to provide a dedicated institutional structure for enforcing discipline, investigating misconduct and promoting compliance among personnel and stakeholders.
Sanusi said the growing complexities of international trade, transnational organised crime, illicit financial flows, corruption and trade-related offences had made the unit increasingly important to effective Customs administration.
He stressed that revenue generation, trade facilitation and anti-smuggling operations could not achieve their objectives without disciplined personnel and compliant stakeholders.
The Acting Provost Marshal aligned the unit’s vision with the Comptroller-General’s strategic pillars of consolidation, collaboration and innovation, insisting that discipline must be internalised, compliance embraced and integrity treated as a fundamental institutional value.
He commended Adeniyi for his leadership, continued support and approval of funding for the inaugural summit, while acknowledging the contributions of former Provost Marshals and serving personnel to the development of the unit.
Also speaking, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Headquarters, Muhammad Shuaibu, described the Customs Police Unit as critical to national security, internal discipline, specialised criminal investigations and compliance monitoring.
He said the unit’s responsibilities included enforcing regulations, investigating misconduct, protecting officers and promoting professionalism and accountability across the Service.
The inaugural summit is expected to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Customs Police Unit, deepen inter-agency cooperation and establish practical measures for promoting discipline, integrity and effective enforcement within the Nigeria Customs Service.
