Odita Sunday 
Customs Seeks Stronger Security Collaboration to Tackle Smuggling in Imo
By Odita Sunday
The Acting Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘C’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Farouk Nadaniya, has called for stronger cooperation among security agencies to tackle smuggling and other security threats in Imo State.
Nadaniya made the call during a series of courtesy visits to security formations in Owerri, where he stressed that effective enforcement and lasting peace depended on cooperation among agencies.
The visits, which began on Friday, October 16, 2026, included the Imo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Air Force and the 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army.
During his visit to the Nigeria Police Force, Nadaniya said the Federal Operations Unit, which covers the South-South and South-East regions, faced significant enforcement responsibilities amid the security challenges confronting the area.
He said his engagement with other security agencies was aimed at strengthening operational cooperation and ensuring that efforts to combat smuggling and other crimes were better coordinated.
“My visit is aimed at soliciting for unity of purpose and inter-agency synergy which will enhance my operational effectiveness in my area of jurisdiction, as the strive against smuggling and other crimes is a collective responsibility,” he said.
Nadaniya added that he was committed to maintaining positive working relationships with security agencies to promote peace, stability and the overall wellbeing of Imo State and its environs.
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Garba Audu Boss welcomed the initiative and emphasised the importance of cooperation between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Police in protecting lives and property.
He urged the Acting Comptroller to work closely with other security agencies in addressing insurgency and other security threats in the state.
At the Department of State Services, the Director, Mr. Godwin Uche Dunkwu, said security agencies in Imo State had maintained cordial working relationships despite their different statutory responsibilities.
Dunkwu assured Nadaniya of the DSS’s cooperation, adding that the agency would sustain the support and collaboration previously extended to his predecessor.
The Acting Comptroller also visited the 511 Quick Response Group, Nigerian Air Force Base, Owerri, where the Commander, Air Commodore SP Sekego, encouraged him to work closely with other security formations.
Sekego said security agencies in the state operated as a team towards a common objective, noting that collaboration was essential to addressing the area’s security challenges.
He cited the recent release of kidnapped corps members as an example of what joint efforts among security agencies could achieve.
At the Headquarters of the 34 Artillery Brigade in Obinze, Owerri, the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General A Ahmed, also stressed the need for a coordinated approach to security.
He said sustained cooperation and a shared commitment among the agencies were necessary to tackle security threats and ensure that each organisation effectively discharged its responsibilities.
Nadaniya’s tour also took him to the Imo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, where the Commandant welcomed the engagement and expressed readiness to work with the new Acting Comptroller and other security agencies.
The visits ended with the heads of the security formations expressing their willingness to sustain existing relationships and strengthen cooperation where necessary.
The engagements form part of efforts to improve coordination among security agencies in Imo State, particularly in tackling crimes that require joint intelligence, enforcement and operational responses.
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