The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has charged officers of the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to make intelligence the cornerstone of their professional conduct, stressing that no modern security or revenue operation can succeed without timely, credible and well-applied intelligence.
Adeniyi delivered the charge on Monday, 5 January 2026, at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, during the opening ceremony of the CIU training programme, described as the Service’s first formal engagement of the year.
He urged participants to view the programme as a defining moment capable of shaping their professional outlook and contributions to national development, noting that the new year presents an opportunity for officers to make measurable impact both within the Service and the wider security architecture of the country.
Drawing from recent global and domestic security developments, including successful military and security operations within Nigeria that led to the interception of arms and ammunition, the CGC underscored intelligence as the common denominator behind effective interventions. He emphasised that Customs officers must understand intelligence not merely as a theoretical concept, but as a practical tool critical to field operations.
Adeniyi further encouraged officers to critically review papers already presented during the programme, describing them as containing actionable insights necessary for operational efficiency and professional excellence.
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, noting that its role in addressing evolving security and economic challenges has become indispensable.
He said the Nigeria Customs Service has continued to prioritise intelligence-led training as part of its capacity-building strategy, adding that the programme represents a crucial phase in the professional development of participating officers.
According to ACG Gaura, intelligence underpins effective risk management, revenue protection, the disruption of smuggling networks and the safeguarding of the national economy. He urged participants to approach the training with dedication and discipline, assuring them that Management had deployed experienced facilitators, relevant materials and a structured learning environment to achieve optimal outcomes.
While acknowledging that the training environment might differ from what some officers were accustomed to, he explained that the approach was designed to instil focus, discipline and professional rigour.
Senior officers in attendance at the opening ceremony included the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, Tijjani Abe; the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Sulaiman Chiroma; and the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Headquarters, Muhammad Shu’aibu, among others.
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