By Abubakar Yunusa
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has intensified engagement with traditional institutions, paying a historic visit to the Emir of Gwandu, Muhammadu Bashar, in Kebbi State.
Adeniyi said the visit formed part of efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service to strengthen border security, community cooperation and national development through sustained stakeholder collaboration.
Speaking at the Emir’s palace on Saturday, the CGC described traditional rulers as critical partners in maintaining peace, promoting lawful trade and discouraging smuggling in border communities.
He stressed that effective border management could not rely on enforcement alone, noting that trust and cooperation from host communities remained indispensable.
The CGC was accompanied by senior Customs officers, including retired Deputy Comptroller-General Bello Mohammed Jibo and retired Assistant Comptroller-General Samba Dangaladima, who currently serve under the Gwandu Emirate.
In his response, the Emir commended the Customs boss for the visit and pledged the continued support of the Emirate Council to the Service and other security agencies in the state.
The monarch urged residents of border communities to provide timely intelligence to authorities to help combat smuggling and related crimes.
During a visit to the Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi Area Command, Adeniyi inspected ongoing ultra-modern projects aimed at boosting operational capacity and personnel welfare.
He commissioned the Bashir Adewale Adeniyi E-Learning Centre and a newly constructed five-aside football pitch named after retired DCG Bello Mohammed Jibo.
Addressing officers and men of the Command, the CGC charged them to uphold discipline and professionalism, describing Kebbi as a strategic border Command for revenue generation and anti-smuggling operations.
He warned officers against compromising transit cargo, insisting that goods must move strictly through approved corridors.
Adeniyi said Kebbi remained a major route for smugglers, particularly in the illegal export of petroleum products, which informed the deployment of special operations in the area.
He disclosed that the President had approved the reopening of the Tsamiya border, stressing that the development came with greater responsibility to prevent diversion of transit goods.
The CGC also emphasised inter-agency and cross-border collaboration in tackling smuggling, banditry and terrorism, assuring officers of improved welfare and increased deployment of technology.
The visit ended with a friendly football match involving the CGC and Customs officers, boosting morale within the Command.
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