by George Ozalla
The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has charged officers of the Customs Intelligence Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service to place intelligence at the centre of their professional conduct, warning that no modern security or revenue operation can succeed without timely, credible and well applied intelligence.
Adeniyi gave the charge on Monday, January 5, 2026, at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, during the opening ceremony of a training programme for officers of the Intelligence Unit. He described the programme as the Service’s first formal engagement of the year and a defining moment capable of shaping the professional outlook of participants.
Welcoming the officers to the College, the Comptroller General said the programme came at a critical time and urged participants to see the new year as an opportunity to make tangible contributions to the Service and the country. He reflected on recent global and domestic security developments, including military and security interventions within and outside Nigeria that led to the interception of arms and ammunition.
He noted that intelligence remained the common factor behind every successful military or paramilitary operation and stressed that Customs officers must appreciate its value beyond theoretical discussions. He urged participants to revisit papers earlier presented during the programme, saying they already contained practical guidance required for effective field operations.
In his address, the Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs Dow Gaura, described intelligence as a quiet but decisive force in institutional transformation. He said the capacity to gather, analyse and apply intelligence had become indispensable in responding to emerging security and economic realities.
Gaura said the Nigeria Customs Service had continued to invest in intelligence led training as part of its capacity building strategy, describing the programme as a key phase in the professional development of the participants. He explained that intelligence underpins risk management, revenue protection, the disruption of smuggling networks and the safeguarding of the national economy.
He urged officers to approach the training with seriousness, noting that Management had provided experienced facilitators, relevant materials and a structured learning environment to enhance focus and outcomes. While acknowledging that comfort levels might differ from what some participants were used to, he said the objective was to instil discipline and sustained concentration.
Senior officers present at the opening ceremony included the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, Tijjani Abe, the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Training and Doctrine Command, Sulaiman Chiroma, and the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of Headquarters, Muhammad Shu’aibu, among others.
The Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, serves as the apex training institution of the Nigeria Customs Service, responsible for shaping strategic leadership, operational capacity and professional standards across the Service.
