The Nigeria Customs Service has stepped up efforts to tackle cross-border money laundering, terrorism financing and other financial crimes by seeking stronger intelligence sharing and operational cooperation with six security and regulatory agencies.

The agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, are expected to strengthen coordinated action against illicit financial flows and criminal networks operating across Nigeria’s borders.

The initiative also involves the Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser.

A statement issued by the customs spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, yesterday, said the collaboration followed a three-day engagement by the Customs Service with the agencies between October 27 and 29, 2026, as part of efforts to address weaknesses in information sharing and improve the detection of suspicious cross-border transactions.

The exercise was led by the Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of Headquarters, Muhammad Shuaibu, who said the engagement was designed to improve coordination among institutions responsible for tackling financial crimes and threats to national security.

Shuaibu said the initiative would go beyond routine consultations by examining practical Customs controls at border stations and strengthening cooperation among relevant agencies.

“The sole objective of this mission is to effectively detect and disrupt cross-border illicit financial flows. The measures include field visits to selected border stations to assess practical Customs control measures and engage with relevant agencies,” he said.

The engagement comes amid persistent concerns over the use of Nigeria’s borders for smuggling, drug trafficking, movement of illicit funds and other transnational criminal activities.

Financial crimes and terrorism financing often involve complex networks that cut across different jurisdictions and require intelligence from multiple institutions. Customs officers, who monitor the movement of goods and cargoes across the country’s borders, are strategically positioned to identify suspicious trade transactions and movements that could be linked to criminal activities.

However, the effectiveness of such interventions depends largely on the ability of security and financial intelligence agencies to exchange information and act on shared intelligence.

Speaking during the engagement, the Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Intelligence Security Service Sector, Muhammed-Mustapha, commended the Customs Service for its role in border security and efforts to combat smuggling.

He described the relationship between both institutions as longstanding, noting that Customs was among the earliest agencies to collaborate with the financial intelligence unit when it was established.

“When NFIU was created, NCS was the first to collaborate with us. No particular agency understands things better than how Customs does globally,” Mustapha said.

The World Customs Organisation mentoring team, led by Shahiduzzaman Sarkar, also participated in the engagements, sharing approaches to combating money laundering and terrorism financing.

The team urged stronger collaboration with the Customs Service, stressing the importance of coordinated institutional responses to financial crimes.

Despite the renewed commitment, the discussions exposed some challenges that could undermine the proposed cooperation.

Participants identified communication gaps, bureaucratic bottlenecks and concerns over database privacy as some of the obstacles affecting information sharing among government agencies.

The agencies subsequently examined ways to address the problems and improve institutional coordination to ensure that intelligence could be exchanged and acted upon more efficiently.

The engagement also featured the presentation of Nigeria Customs Service awards and World Customs Organisation certificates to participating agencies in recognition of their contributions to the initiative.

Meanwhile, the Customs Service has also taken its modernisation programme to the international stage, showcasing its digital transformation efforts and the deployment of emerging technologies to improve border management and facilitate legitimate trade.

The Service presented its reforms at the World Customs Organisation Smart Customs Project Global Event 2026, held at the WCO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, from October 29 to 30.

Represented by an Assistant Comptroller, Omolara Adedeji, the NCS highlighted its Unified Customs Management System, known as B’Odogwu, alongside its investments in artificial intelligence, data analytics and electronic cargo tracking.

In a presentation titled, “Nigeria Customs Service: The Journey Towards Smart Customs,” she said the modernisation programme was aimed at improving operational efficiency, strengthening risk management and making trade processes more transparent.

“The NCS is undergoing a deliberate transition from traditional Customs operations towards integrated digital operations. Through the Service’s Modernisation Project, we are strengthening automation, electronic processing and data-driven decision-making to build a more efficient, responsive and technology-driven Customs administration,” she said.

Adedeji identified smart technology and smart data as the two major pillars of Nigeria’s Smart Customs vision.

She explained that smart technology involved automation, integrated systems, digital platforms and modern information and communications technology infrastructure, while smart data focused on intelligence-led interventions, data-driven risk management, analytics and improved information sharing.

The presentation also highlighted B’Odogwu, the Unified Customs Management System, as a major component of the modernisation programme.

The platform is designed to support automated Customs procedures, electronic processing and improved engagement with government agencies and private-sector operators.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara,  has hailed women judges for their invaluable contributions to justice delivery, good governance, gender equality and national development.

Fubara gave the commendation last Friday  at a dinner held in honour of participants of the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria (NAWJN), South-South Regional Conference at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt.

The governor, who  was represented by the State Head of  Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi S. I. Brown,  described the regional conference as an important gathering of accomplished women in the judiciary, and congratulated the association for its success.

He noted that beyond dispensing justice with fairness, courage and integrity, women judges serve as role models to countless young women aspiring to careers in law, public service and national leadership, demonstrating that excellence, competence and integrity do not know gender.

Fubara stressed that no society can achieve its full potential when women are denied opportunities, assuring that his administration remains committed to promoting fairness, inclusiveness and equal opportunities in governance and public service.

He urged the association to continue building strong mentorship networks, supporting young female lawyers and creating pathways for the next generation of women leaders.

“I encourage this association to continue building strong mentorship networks, supporting young female lawyers and creating pathways through which the next generation of women leaders can develop with the confidence, competence and character required for leadership. Let us remember that the greatest legacy we can leave behind is not simply what we have accomplished for ourselves but what we make possible for those coming after us,” he said.

The governor assured that the State Government would continue to support initiatives that advance justice, promote women’s leadership and strengthen democratic institutions.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out any postponement of the 2027 general elections, insisting that the electoral timetable is fixed and preparations are on course.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, also announced that the commission would release the final voters’ register on December 15, following the conclusion of its ongoing verification and correction exercise.

Amupitan spoke on Saturday during an interactive meeting with INEC staff members and Resident Electoral Commissioners from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he assessed the commission’s preparedness for the elections.

His assurance comes amid claims by some political parties that the general elections could be postponed.

He, however, dismissed any possibility of shifting the polls, saying the commission was committed to conducting the elections in accordance with the law and its published timetable.

“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” he declared.

The INEC chairman also said Rivers State would receive special attention during preparations because of its strategic electoral importance and the number of registered voters in the state.

He disclosed that Rivers had 3,736,434 registered voters, the highest in the South-South, followed by Delta with 3,525,988 and Edo with 2,865,263.

Akwa Ibom has 2,566,198 registered voters, Cross River 1,928,978 and Bayelsa 1,200,691.

Amupitan said the commission would ensure that operational failures did not disenfranchise voters, particularly in states with large voting populations.

“With the 3,736,434 registered voters for Rivers State, the state leads the South-South. By this, the commission will put more attention to what happens in Rivers State. It is your duty to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised because of operational failures,” he told the officials.

On the voters’ register, the INEC chairman said the commission had published the preliminary register online and at designated locations to allow eligible voters to verify their details and raise objections.

He disclosed that the commission had received more than 5,000 requests for corrections, including changes to names and dates of birth, as well as over 600 objections, which were being processed ahead of the release of the final register.

Amupitan said INEC had initially considered conducting a fresh voter revalidation exercise after he assumed office but abandoned the proposal because of concerns that it would be too close to the general elections.

He expressed confidence in the commission’s ability to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible elections, citing lessons from recent off-cycle governorship elections, particularly the Osun State poll.

According to him, the Osun election recorded the highest voter turnout in the history of off-cycle governorship elections in the country and was adjudged credible locally and internationally despite earlier security concerns.

“Osun State elections gave us the confidence that we can achieve this despite the noise. It is good that we had a series of those elections before the general elections because we learn lessons from every election,” he said.

He added that the commission would build on the experience gained from the off-cycle elections to improve its preparations for the 2027 general elections.

“We will conduct elections that will move the nation forward and not an election that will bring it down,” he said.

On security, Amupitan said INEC was collaborating with security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services, to guarantee the safety of voters, electoral personnel, ad hoc staff and election materials.

He said the commission would not encourage Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voter Cards without ensuring that adequate security arrangements were in place for them to exercise their voting rights.

“We want every part of Nigeria to be calm during the elections so that people can come out to vote. We will not tell them to take their PVCs and then will not guarantee their safety,” he said.

The INEC chairman also dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence and algorithms could determine the outcome of the 2027 elections, insisting that the electorate would decide the results.

“It is the people of Nigeria that will decide the outcome of the elections and not AI or any algorithms,” he said.

He, however, acknowledged growing cybersecurity threats associated with artificial intelligence, saying the commission would explore ways to deploy technology to protect its digital infrastructure against possible attacks.

Amupitan warned INEC staff and ad hoc personnel, including members of the National Youth Service Corps, against compromising the electoral process, stressing that anyone found culpable would face the consequences under the law.

He urged officials across the South-South to remain committed to their responsibilities, noting that the credibility of the elections would depend largely on their conduct at polling units and other designated locations.