Maritime Police, Western Marine Customs Strengthen Partnership to Combat Drug Trafficking, Arms Smuggling
The Maritime Police Command and the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have reinforced their partnership in the fight against drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and other transnational crimes along Nigeria’s inland waterways.
The renewed commitment was established when the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Patrick Ntadi, paid a courtesy visit to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Musa Yusuf Garba, at the Force Headquarters Annex, Kam Salem House, Obalende, Lagos, on Monday.
According to a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Maritime Police Command, ASP Adebayo Rasheed, the visit, undertaken in the spirit of operational solidarity and mutual cooperation, aimed to consolidate the long-standing relationship between the NCS and the Maritime Police Command.
ASP Rasheed noted that discussions focused on forging a united front against maritime crimes such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and other illicit activities within the maritime sector.
Speaking during their engagement, Comptroller Ntadi emphasised the critical importance of inter-agency cooperation and seamless intelligence sharing.
He asserted that a harmonised approach remains vital to securing Nigeria’s maritime domain and sustaining the nation’s economic lifeline.
Ntadi reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to continued collaboration with the Maritime Police, pledging unwavering support in the collective effort to combat illicit maritime activities.
In response, AIG Garba lauded the initiative as a bold step towards integrated maritime security and assured the visiting team of the Maritime Police Command’s readiness to work in lockstep with the NCS to achieve shared security objectives.
He stressed the need for intensified joint operations and intelligence-driven patrols as indispensable tools for safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime frontiers and enhancing national revenue security.
The AIG also advocated the continuous use of open and direct communication channels between both agencies to ensure swift responses to emerging threats.
He reiterated that coordinated enforcement and sustained collaboration will remain at the core of the Command’s strategy for maritime law enforcement and economic stability.
“This renewed partnership between the Maritime Police Command and the Nigeria Customs Service’s Western Marine Command reinforces a shared vision for a secure, collaborative, and resilient maritime security architecture, responsive to the evolving landscape of maritime criminality,” the statement added.
