The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has underscored the central role of intelligence in modern customs operations, charged officers of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to prioritise timely, credible and actionable intelligence in the discharge of their duties.
Adeniyi gave the charge on Monday, 5 January 2026, at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, during the opening ceremony of a training programme for CIU officers. He described the programme as the Service’s first formal engagement of the year and a critical platform for shaping the professional outlook of participants.
According to the Comptroller-General, intelligence remained the backbone of every successful security, revenue and enforcement operation, stressing that modern customs administration cannot thrive without accurate information and effective analysis. He urged officers to translate classroom lessons into practical field application.
Reflecting on recent global and domestic security developments, Adeniyi noted that successful military and paramilitary interventions, including operations within Nigeria that led to the interception of arms and ammunition, were driven by sound intelligence. He encouraged participants to revisit papers already presented during the programme, describing them as practical tools for effective operations.
In his remarks, the Commandant of the NCCSC, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs Dow Gaura, described intelligence as a quiet but decisive force in institutional transformation. He said intelligence gathering and analysis are essential for risk management, revenue protection, disruption of smuggling networks and the protection of the national economy.
ACG Gaura added that the Nigeria Customs Service has continued to invest in intelligence-led training as part of its broader capacity-building strategy. He urged officers to approach the programme with discipline and commitment, assuring them that Management had provided experienced facilitators and a conducive learning environment.
Senior officers present at the event included the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, Tijjani Abe; the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Training and Doctrine Command, Sulaiman Chiroma; and the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Headquarters, Muhammad Shu’aibu, among others.
