Interagency Tie: AIG Maritime hosts customs controller, chart course on sector security

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

In a strategic move to counter insecurity in the maritime sector and strengthen inter-agency synergy, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police,(AIG)Musa Yusuf Garba, played host to the Customs Area Controller of the Western Marine Command, Comptroller Patrick N. Ntadi.

The visit which took place Monday at the Force Headquarters Annex, Kam Salem House, Obalende, Lagos was embarked in the spirit of operational solidarity and mutual cooperation, sought to consolidate the long-standing relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Maritime Police Command.

A release signed by ASP Adebayo Rasheed, Police Public Relations Officer(PRO), Maritime Police made available to Nation Update said discussion centered on forging a united front against maritime crimes such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and other transnational threats along Nigeria’s inland waterways.

While addressing the AIG, Comptroller Ntadi emphasized the critical importance of inter-agency cooperation and seamless intelligence sharing. He asserted that a harmonized approach remains vital to securing the maritime domain and sustaining the nation’s economic lifeline. Comptroller Ntadi reaffirmed his Command’s commitment to ongoing collaboration with the Maritime Police, pledging unwavering support in the collective effort to combat illicit maritime activities.

In his remarks, AIG Musa Yusuf Garba, warmly welcomed the Comptroller and lauded the initiative as a bold step towards integrated maritime security. He assured the visiting team of the Maritime Police Command’s readiness to work in lockstep with the Nigeria Customs Service in realizing shared security objectives. AIG Garba underscored the need for intensified joint operations and intelligence-driven patrols as indispensable tools for safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime frontiers and enhancing national revenue security.

He further advocated the continuous use of open and direct communication channels between both agencies to guarantee swift responses to emerging threats. Concluding, the AIG 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.