Customs, NAPTIP Strengthen Alliance to Tackle Human-Trafficking & Wildlife Crime

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have formalised a strategic collaboration to intensify efforts against human trafficking and illicit trade in endangered wildlife.

During a courtesy meeting at the Customs House in Abuja, the NCS Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi, pledged full support to NAPTIP’s upcoming initiatives, including a national maritime policy dialogue scheduled for February 2026 on trafficking by sea and stowaway incidents.

CGC Adeniyi emphasised the importance of joint action, saying the Customs Service views trafficking whether in persons or wildlife as a major national security threat, not merely smuggling. He committed to sharing intelligence, providing technical expertise, and granting access to the Service’s training curriculum to enhance inter-agency capabilities.

NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, described the meeting as a key step toward operational cooperation, stating that the evolving nature of trafficking networks requires seamless coordination across border-entry points and multiple agencies.

The partnership will focus on intelligence exchange, joint investigations, training of personnel, and operational linkages targeting both human-trafficking chains and wildlife-crime syndicates that exploit Nigeria’s borders and maritime routes.

Oshuniran Sheriff Ola