Customs, Security Agencies, Traditional Rulers Seek Stronger Collaboration to Secure North-West Borders
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), security agencies, and traditional rulers have called for stronger collaboration to enhance security across the North-West borders.
The call was made during the NCS North-West Security Summit held at the Presidential Lodge, Birnin Kebbi, on June 18, 2026.
The event was chaired by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Timi Bomodi, and was attended by the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, who represented Governor Dr. Nasir Idris.
The summit also had in attendance representatives of the NCS, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies, the Gwandu Emirate, traditional rulers, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, themed “Strengthening Inter-Agency Collaboration for Effective Border Security and Regional Stability,” the Customs Area Controller of Kebbi Command, Comptroller Mahmoud Matawalle Ibrahim, welcomed the guests and expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for approving the convening of what he described as an important summit.
Comptroller Ibrahim also thanked the Kebbi State Government for hosting the summit and its participants, noting that their presence reflected a shared commitment to strengthening partnerships, enhancing regional security, and fostering a safer and more prosperous North-West region.
In his remarks, DCG Bomodi emphasised that the summit was organised to obtain direct feedback from communities and security stakeholders on ways to improve security and support economic development.
He noted that the collective goal is to create a safer environment that will enable the reopening of borders for legitimate trade and commerce when conditions permit.
On his part, the Deputy Governor reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting all security agencies in the discharge of their duties and commended their efforts in safeguarding lives and property across the state.
Stakeholders from government, security agencies, traditional institutions, business groups, and local communities also reiterated their commitment to strengthening security, restoring economic activities, and promoting sustainable peace across Kebbi State through enhanced cooperation and collective action.
Traditional rulers and community leaders used the opportunity to outline the security challenges confronting their communities, including unemployment, drug abuse, cross-border criminal activities, threats to informants, and the displacement of some traditional leaders from their communities due to insecurity. Many participants stressed the need for stronger protection for informants and greater confidence in the justice system to encourage the reporting of criminal activities.
Participants further recognised that security challenges cannot be addressed through kinetic operations alone, citing the need for non-kinetic measures such as youth empowerment, education, skills acquisition, agricultural support, and economic opportunities to reduce vulnerability to criminal recruitment and violent extremism.
Security agencies highlighted ongoing efforts to improve coordination and operational effectiveness while acknowledging challenges such as communication gaps, resource constraints, and the complex nature of cross-border criminal activities. Recommendations were made for improved intelligence management, enhanced operational capacity, regular stakeholder engagements, and the establishment of stronger coordination mechanisms among agencies.
In his closing remarks, DCG Bomodi emphasised the need for proactive solutions and collective responsibility, urging stakeholders to focus on practical measures that will outpace criminal elements and strengthen community resilience.
He reiterated that peace, security, and economic development are interconnected and that sustained collaboration among government, security agencies, traditional institutions, and communities remains vital to restoring stability and prosperity in Kebbi State.
The summit ended with stakeholders expressing their resolve to continue engaging, sharing information, implementing agreed recommendations, and working together towards a safer, more secure, and more prosperous Kebbi State.
