- Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Binta Adamu (right), Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and member of Board of Trustees, MMS WoFHoF Initiative, Lami Tumaka, during a courtesy visit to the Customs Headquarters in Abuja
By Anthony Nwachukwu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have expressed readiness to collaborate in combating human trafficking and illicit trade in endangered species.
Speaking when a delegation from NAPTIP and MMS WoFHoF Initiative paid him a courtesy visit at the Customs House in Abuja, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, noted that Nigeria’s security challenges require joint action.
To that end, he assured of the agency’s unwavering support, stressing that the NCS does not view crimes solely from the lens of smuggling but through broader national security implications.
Adeniyi said he the NCS believes in the power of collaboration, adding that “more can be achieved with less when we work together.”
According to Adeniyi, the agency has intensified work on environmental sustainability and the enforcement of international conventions regarding flora and fauna.
He assured the delegation that Customs will fully collaborate on the upcoming national dialogue on human trafficking and stowaway incidents, scheduled for February 2026.
He further pledged to provide technical expertise, intelligence sharing, and access to the service’s training curriculum to strengthen inter-agency understanding of trafficking dynamics.
“We will accept your request for partnership unconditionally,” he assured. “We will work with your designated officials on the February summit and explore wider interventions that reinforce national security.”
On her part, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu, expressed delight at securing formal engagement with the Customs Service, stating NAPTIP’s eagerness to strengthen operational partnerships, particularly in intelligence exchange, policy development and cross-border enforcement, among others.
Noting that NAPTIP is a law-enforcement agency with mandates to prevent, prosecute and protect, she said the partnership with customs is essential for her agency’s work.
She noted that as human trafficking continues to evolve, it requires close coordination among agencies operating at Nigeria’s multiple entry and exit points.
Earlier, a Board of Trustees member of MMS WoFHoF Initiative, Lami Tumaka, described customs as a “strategic player in border management and maritime enforcement,” explaining that the visit was to seek the agency’s partnership on the national policy dialogue on human trafficking by sea and stowaway incidents.
Noting that customs officers, with an indispensable expertise and nationwide presence, are often the first line of defence against illicit movement of goods and persons, Tumaka stated that their involvement is critical to the success of the dialogue.
