Customs in Akwa Ibom seeks police, EFCC help against smuggling
- Customs acting area controller Nkiru Nwala met Akwa Ibom police and EFCC officials in Uyo.
- She said smuggling, economic sabotage and illicit financial flows need joint intelligence work.
- The EFCC warned that fraudsters impersonate Customs officers online to defraud Nigerians.
The Nigeria Customs Service is asking the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Akwa Ibom State to work more closely with it against smuggling and financial crimes.
The acting head of the Customs area command covering Cross River, the Calabar Free Trade Zone and Akwa Ibom, Deputy Comptroller Nkiru Nwala, made the push during visits to the state police command and the EFCC's Uyo office, according to a statement by the command's spokesman, Yireabasi Ukpong.
She also toured the Liberty Oil and Gas project in Ikot Abasi on Wednesday, 28 October 2026.
Why it matters for ordinary Nigerians
Smuggled goods undercut local producers and traders who pay duties, and the command says illicit financial flows and economic sabotage are also on its radar. Akwa Ibom's coastal location and commercial activity, the controller said, bring both opportunities and security responsibilities.
At the police command, Nwala said the work of both agencies depends on sharing intelligence, coordinating operations and supporting each other. She named smuggling, economic sabotage and the protection of critical national infrastructure as priorities, and called for faster channels to pass on useful information.
The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, Baba Mohammed Azare, welcomed the visit and pointed to security concerns in the state that need more attention from both agencies. He said the command would keep working with Customs on intelligence sharing, joint operations and the protection of lives and property.
At the EFCC, Nwala said economic crimes are getting more complex and need intelligence-led operations and quick information sharing. The Uyo zonal director, Assistant Commander Oshodi Johnson, asked Customs officers to be careful on social media.
He warned that fraudsters now use officers' names, photographs, ranks and titles online to pose as Customs staff and defraud members of the public. How officers behave online, he said, affects both their personal safety and the image of the Service.
During the Liberty Oil and Gas tour, Nwala observed ongoing construction and described the project as massive and well placed for future growth. The Controller of the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Comptroller Nyong, was also touring the facility at the time.
The command said the visits reflect the Service's commitment under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to professionalism, strong partnerships and making legitimate trade easier, while staying firm against activities that threaten national security and the economy.
What happens next
The command did not announce any new joint operation or timeline. For now, the focus is on closer communication between the three agencies and on warning Nigerians that anyone claiming to be a Customs officer online may be a fraudster.
