From Uche Usim (Abuja) and Steve Agbota
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Department of State Services (DSS) have strengthened their partnership to take on die-hard smugglers and other criminals who are sabotaging the Nigerian economy with their nefarious activities.
To this end, the acting Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Monday, paid a familiarization visit to the Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, at DSS Headquarters, Abuja.
At the meeting, the Customs boss declared that it would continue to cement its strong collaboration with the secret police.
He noted that a mutual partnership between the two agencies will go a long way in enhancing national security.
He said: “I hereby extend the Nigeria Customs Service’s friendly hands to solicit your support for better service to our dear country – which will intensify border security across the country,” he said.
He also appreciated the DSS DG for availing an opportunity to some of his senior officers to take part in special courses at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), which, according to him, “The development has broadened their capacity in discharging their constitutional duties.”
Responding, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for his ‘notable’ resilience in carrying out the affairs of the Service, since his appointment.
Bichi affirmed that “teamwork is the basis for success in the fight against insecurity as no agency can do it alone.”
He further highlighted that sustaining the Customs-DSS synergy will be a game changer in the counter-threat actions across border areas, pledging that his office will continue to provide intelligence to Customs to aid their performance.
He, however, vowed to make DSS’ facilities available for training and retraining of middle cadre customs officers.
As a mark of commitment to his pronouncements, the DG DSS immediately directed his relevant departments to urgently engage their Customs counterparts for the required synergy to actualize national security objectives.