The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has partnered with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to strengthen the country’s anti-money laundering framework and improve coordination among security and financial intelligence agencies.
Declaring open a two-day capacity-building workshop in Lagos on Tuesday, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Zone A, Mohammed Babandede, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the training was designed to enhance collaboration in tackling money laundering and terrorism financing.
Babandede noted that inter-agency collaboration remains a key policy focus of the Comptroller-General’s administration, adding that such partnerships have contributed significantly to national security efforts.
He explained that participants were drawn from the NCS, EFCC, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), and NFIU, reflecting a joint commitment to combating financial crimes.
“The selection of participants was deliberate, focusing on officers from airports and land borders where the movement of cash and human traffic is high. The training will enable participants to exchange ideas and develop actionable outcomes,” Babandede said.
He reiterated the Customs Service’s role in securing Nigeria’s borders against illicit financial flows and called on participants to apply the knowledge gained in their respective commands.
Also speaking, the Deputy General Manager, Currency Operations Department, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Eworitse Maryesther who represented the NFIU, commended the Customs Service for its proactive collaboration. He disclosed that recent joint efforts led to the detection of suspicious cash movements, including a case involving over $6 million at the Lagos airport.
Eworitse added that the NFIU had deployed currency declaration kiosks at international terminals and intensified public awareness campaigns to remind travellers of the requirement to declare cash above $10,000.
In his remarks, the EFCC Head of Investigations, Lagos Zonal Command, Shehu Muhammad, said effective collaboration between agencies was critical to dismantling complex financial crime networks.
“The Customs Service plays a lead role in the currency declaration regime, while the EFCC handles investigations and prosecutions. Strengthening inter-agency synergy will improve our effectiveness,” Muhammad said.
Similarly, the Assistant Comptroller of Customs in charge of the Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Unit, Salih Masoud, highlighted the importance of continuous training to deepen understanding of financial regulations and intelligence sharing.
Masoud noted that 20 officers were selected from airports, seaports, land borders, and patrol units to ensure comprehensive coverage and representation.
The two-day workshop, jointly organised by the NCS and NFIU, aims to strengthen inter-agency cooperation, improve compliance with financial laws, and enhance Nigeria’s resilience against money laundering and terrorism financing.
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