NCS, EFCC join forces against economic crimes

Etim Ekpimah

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with other security agencies to fight economic and financial crimes.

The new Acting Customs Area Controller of the Cross River/Calabar Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom Area Command, DC Nkeiruka Nwala, said this during a courtesy visit to the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

A statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), ASC Yireabasi Ukpong, in Uyo on Sunday, stated that Nwala’s visit would strengthen inter-agency collaboration, deepen institutional cooperation in tackling economic and financial crimes, and promote a culture of accountability, institutional integrity and responsible conduct.

“The Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, remains committed to building strategic partnerships with relevant agencies to protect national economic interests, uphold the integrity of public institutions and advance its statutory mandate,” she said.

Nwala stressed the importance of a sustained working relationship between both agencies in tackling smuggling, illicit financial flows and other activities capable of undermining national economic security.

She said that the increasingly complex nature of economic crimes requires intelligence-driven operations, timely information sharing and effective collaboration among relevant law enforcement institutions.

The customs official expressed the command’s readiness to strengthen areas of cooperation towards promoting transparency, accountability and professionalism in the discharge of their respective statutory responsibilities.

In his remarks, the Uyo Zonal Director of the EFCC, Assistant Commander Oshodi Johnson, emphasised the importance of inter-agency synergy in addressing emerging security and economic challenges.

Johnson urged customs officers to exercise greater caution in the use of social media.

He warned that fraudsters increasingly exploit online platforms to impersonate officers of the NCS, manipulate their identities and perpetrate fraudulent activities against unsuspecting members of the public.

He urged officers to be mindful of the information they share online, protect their professional identities and remain vigilant against individuals who might use their names, photographs, ranks or official designations for fraudulent purposes.

The EFCC official encouraged vigilance and responsible online engagement as important measures in preventing impersonation and protecting the public from fraud.