The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday announced dissolution of its Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT).
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, also approved the reduction of road checkpoints across the country.
Both decisions were taken to streamline operations and ease movement of goods and persons, according to the service.
Ahead of 2025, the NCS appears ready to open a new chapter in modern Customs operation, deploying more of technology and intelligence, rather than relying on traditional approaches as usual.
In fact, the agency has hinted about a “reinvigorated Enforcement Strategy” for 2025 as part of efforts to strengthen border management and level down bottlenecks in the country’s trade process.
The 2025 strategy would see the Customs adopting modern and technology-based measure to strengthening border security, combating smuggling and facilitating legitimate trade.
Nigerians can expect a smoother trade process and fewer checkpoints as they move goods from one part of the country to another. This was implied in a statement by the Customs national spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada on Tuesday in which the change in operational approach was announced.
“Moving forward, Customs operations will rely more on actionable intelligence and strategic risk management frameworks to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Also, the Service is deploying geospatial tools and advanced technologies to ensure effectiveness of enforcement strategies,” Maiwada stated.
“This development underscores the Custom’s commitment to leveraging innovative and intelligence-driven approaches for effective border enforcement and anti- smuggling operations,” he added.
The disbandment of the JBPT marked the end of an era in the Nigeria Customs operational strategies. The JBPT operation started in 2019 with a code name “Ex-Swift Response” and later evolved into what it is known today. It was initially designed to enforce the partial border closure policy introduced by the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Since its inception, the JBPT has played a pivotal role in curbing influx of dangerous items and ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s trade and security regulations.
The NCS acknowledged and deeply appreciated the cooperation and dedication of other government agencies that partnered in the team noting that their invaluable contributions had been instrumental in safeguarding Nigeria’s land borders.
The Customs also assured the public and stakeholders that these measures would not compromise border security or trade facilitation, but represent a significant step towards modernising customs operations, improving trade compliance, and strengthening national security.
