Key points
- The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called for intelligence-led border security to tackle the trafficking of small arms and light weapons into Nigeria.
- The Service advocated stronger inter-agency intelligence sharing, modern surveillance technology and closer cooperation with border communities and neighbouring countries.
- Customs identified porous borders, illegal crossing routes, inadequate surveillance equipment, personnel shortages and sophisticated concealment methods as major challenges.
- It called for increased investment in drones, non-intrusive inspection technology and biometric border management.
- The Service also stressed continuous training, risk profiling and intelligence gathering as essential to combating transnational organised crime.
- Customs said previous interceptions at seaports and airports demonstrated the value of technology-driven and intelligence-based enforcement.
- It advocated adequate funding, institutional reforms and stronger sanctions against arms traffickers.
Main Story
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has called for a more intelligence-driven approach to border security, saying stronger intelligence sharing, modern surveillance technology and inter-agency cooperation are critical to curbing the trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons into Nigeria.
The Service made the call on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at a Leadership Course on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), organised by the Defence Intelligence College in Abuja.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, was represented at the programme by the Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies, Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Comptroller of Customs Haniel Hadison.
Delivering a lecture titled “The Role of the Nigeria Customs Service in Intercepting Arms Smugglers and the Challenges of Border Management,” Hadison said Customs remained a key institution in national efforts to disrupt illicit arms trafficking.
He said the Service had strengthened its approach through intelligence-led enforcement, strategic interceptions and collaboration with relevant security agencies.
According to him, the scale and sophistication of arms trafficking require a coordinated response that extends beyond the Customs Service.
“Effective border security cannot be achieved by the Nigeria Customs Service alone.”
Haison stressed the need for sustained intelligence sharing, active engagement with communities living around border areas and stronger cooperation with neighbouring countries.
He said these measures would help security agencies identify emerging threats earlier and respond more effectively to attempts to move prohibited goods across Nigeria’s borders.
The Issues
Nigeria’s extensive land and maritime borders present significant challenges for effective border control.
Customs identified porous border areas, numerous illegal crossing routes, inadequate surveillance technology and shortages of trained personnel and operational logistics among the major obstacles confronting border security.
Another challenge is the increasing sophistication of smugglers, who continue to devise new ways of concealing illicit goods and evading detection.
The proliferation of small arms and light weapons also has wider security implications, as illegally trafficked weapons can fuel organised crime, banditry, communal violence and other forms of insecurity.
This makes the ability to detect suspicious movements before weapons enter the country particularly important.
What’s Being Said
Comptroller Haniel Hadison, NCS
Hadison said Customs could not effectively address arms trafficking without stronger cooperation across Nigeria’s security architecture.
“Effective border security cannot be achieved by the Nigeria Customs Service alone.”
He called for continued investment in modern surveillance systems, non-intrusive inspection technology, drones, biometric border management and personnel development.
He identified intelligence gathering, risk profiling and continuous professional training as critical tools for responding to evolving smuggling methods and transnational organised crime.
According to him, previous arms interceptions at Nigerian seaports and airports demonstrate how technology, intelligence and strategic collaboration can improve border enforcement.
He said Customs’ operational experience offered useful lessons for developing a stronger national border management strategy.
What’s Next
The NCS is advocating a coordinated national approach that combines intelligence, technology, trained personnel and inter-agency cooperation.
Priority areas include expanding the use of drones and modern surveillance systems, strengthening non-intrusive inspection capabilities, improving biometric border management and enhancing officers’ professional capacity.
The Service also wants stronger intelligence links with neighbouring countries and greater engagement with communities around border areas.
Beyond enforcement, Hadison called for adequate funding, institutional reforms and tougher sanctions against arms traffickers to strengthen deterrence.
Bottom Line
The fight against illicit arms trafficking is increasingly becoming a technology and intelligence battle. For Customs, closing Nigeria’s borders does not necessarily mean deploying more personnel alone; it requires knowing where the risks are, identifying suspicious movements early and coordinating quickly with other security agencies.
A combination of intelligence-led enforcement, modern surveillance technology, community engagement and regional cooperation could therefore strengthen Nigeria’s ability to prevent illicit weapons from entering the country and reduce the security threats associated with arms trafficking.
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