Solicits Support of Border Community Leaders to enhance National Security
ZAINAB JUNAID
As part of continous effort to enhance national security, the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR has solicited the support of Idiroko Border communities and their leaders, as this is paramount to the success of the customs service operation.
This was disclosed in a statement made available today by the National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, stating that the CGC visit to Idiroko is in continuation of his familiarizationtour to Area Commands and Units in Zone A.
He quoted the CGC as emphasizing on how the role of the border community is vital to help security agencies in the discharge of their duties as regards national security.
CGC Adewale said on Sunday, 6th of August, 2023, when he visited the Royal palaces of Oba John Olakunle Ojo, the Oniko of Iko Idiroko Kingdom, Oba Yisa Adeniyi Adelakun Olaniyan, the Onikpokia of Ikpokia Kingdom, as well as the palace of Oba Kehinde Adeboye Gbadewole Olugbenle, the Oba of Ilaro Kingdom, that members of this community, like all other border communities in Nigeria, have a significant role in helping our Security Agencies in the discharge of their role as regards national security.
"Idiroko is very strategic to our operations; all borders around Idiroko represent a strategic gateway to not just trade and economic development of Nigeria but also for National security management.
"I will request you, as a community, to continue to support the government. "We have a new administration that has shown that it will listen to people, a new administration that has demonstrated that when policies are not working, we are ready to review it.
"Because of that commitment, I want to charge members of this community to channel your reactions appropriately to government, and as a responsible government, I believe that they will listen to you and make amendments where necessary", he said.
The community leaders appreciated the Ag. CGC for his visit and for pledging to improve Customs Community Relations in Border Areas. They also raised concerns on issues affecting their livelihood.
The Customs Boss, in response, charged them to channel their reactions appropriately to the government as the new administration would grant a listening ear and also noted that recruitment policies will be revisited to ensure that more people from the border communities get slots into Nigeria Customs Service.
"One fair commitment will like to give to you is that we will do better in recruitment with people in border communities in the Nigeria Customs Service because we believe that they are stakeholders, and customs community relationship is stronger when you know that you have your sons and daughters in the Nigeria Customs Service", he revealed.
"We are also not unmindful of the fact that where we have this kind of critical operations, we should also be talking about the kind of corporate social responsibility programs that we are going to be doing in places like this", he added.
The CGC also visited Ogun I Area Command at Idiroko, where he was received by the Area Controller, Comptroller Bamidele Makinde, representatives of Sister Agencies and the Republic of Benin Customs Administration as well as stakeholders.
He reiterated the need for all Agencies to remain focused and committed towards the ideal of national and regional security.
"For us in Customs and indeed all other members of the Security Agencies, our task in this part of the country is critical. We have a collective mandate to ensure and enhance national security", he said.
"We see every criminal as an enemy of the state first and foremost before you begin to talk about our mandate of smuggling, human and drug trafficking, and all of that'', he emphasized.
