NCS North-West Security Summit Calls for Stronger Collaboration, Community Engagement, Sustainable Solutions

NCS North-West Security Summit Calls for Stronger Collaboration, Community Engagement, Sustainable Solutions
Share

NCS North-West Security Summit Calls for Stronger Collaboration, Community Engagement, Sustainable Solutions

 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) North-West Security Summit, approved by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD, was held on 18th June 2026 at the Presidential Lodge, Birnin Kebbi. The event was chaired by Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Timi Bomodi, and attended by the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, representing Governor Dr. Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu. Also present were representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies, the Emirate of Gwandu, traditional rulers, community leaders, and stakeholders.

Welcoming participants, Comptroller Mahmoud Matawalle Ibrahim, Customs Area Controller of Kebbi Command, expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General for approving the summit and to the Kebbi State Government for hosting. He emphasized the theme: “Strengthening Inter-Agency Collaboration for Effective Border Security and Regional Stability.”

The Deputy Comptroller-General, Timi Bomodi stressed that the summit aimed to gather direct feedback from communities and stakeholders to improve security and support economic development.
The Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, representing Governor Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu, reaffirmed Kebbi State’s support for security agencies and commended their efforts in protecting lives and property.
Representatives from government, security agencies, traditional institutions, and business groups pledged to strengthen cooperation, restore economic activities, and promote sustainable peace.

Traditional rulers and community leaders highlighted pressing issues such as unemployment, drug abuse, cross-border criminal activities, threats to informants, and displacement of leaders due to insecurity. Participants called for stronger protection of informants and greater confidence in the justice system to encourage reporting of crimes.

It was agreed that security challenges cannot be solved by force alone.
Non-kinetic measures should be taken like youth empowerment, education, skills acquisition, agricultural support, and economic opportunities which are essential to reduce vulnerability to criminal recruitment.

Security agencies acknowledged ongoing efforts but noted challenges including communication gaps, resource constraints, and complex cross-border crime. Recommendations included improved intelligence management, enhanced operational capacity, regular stakeholder engagement, and stronger coordination mechanisms.

In his closing remarks, the Deputy Comptroller-General emphasized proactive solutions and collective responsibility, urging stakeholders to adopt practical measures that strengthen community resilience. He reiterated that peace, security, and economic development are interconnected, and sustained collaboration among government, agencies, traditional institutions, and communities is vital.

The summit concluded with a collective pledge to continue engaging, sharing information, implementing recommendations, and working together towards a safer, more secure, and prosperous Kebbi State.

Related articles

Customs Unveils 3,852 Successful Recruits, Adopts Annual Employment Exercise The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the release of the final list of 3,852 successful candidates for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise and unveiled plans to institutionalise annual recruitment to ensure continuous manpower renewal. Speaking at a press briefing, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the successful applicants were selected across three entry cadres, with 1,275 recruited into the Superintendent Cadre, 367 into the Inspectorate Cadre, and 2,210 into the Customs Assistant Cadre. Adeniyi said the publication of the final list marks the successful conclusion of the recruitment exercise, which commenced in December 2024. He apologised for the delay in completing the exercise, attributing it to the unprecedented number of applications received and the Service’s determination to conduct a transparent, credible and merit-driven recruitment process. According to the Customs boss, the Service received 573,680 applications for just 3,852 available positions, making the exercise one of the most competitive in the agency’s history. He explained that all applications underwent rigorous screening procedures, including computer-based examinations, verification of credentials against the National Identity database, and additional checks where inconsistencies were detected. He noted that candidates who made the final list would still undergo physical and medical examinations before receiving final approval from the Nigeria Customs Service Board. Adeniyi disclosed that the overall success rate was 0.67 per cent, meaning only one out of every 148 applicants secured a place in the exercise. Breaking down the figures, he said the Superintendent Cadre attracted 276,995 applications for 1,275 vacancies, representing one successful applicant out of every 217 candidates. The Inspectorate Cadre recorded 128,604 applications for 367 positions, making it the most competitive category with one successful candidate for every 350 applicants, while the Customs Assistant Cadre received 168,081 applications for 2,210 vacancies, translating to one successful applicant for every 76 candidates. He encouraged unsuccessful applicants not to be discouraged, stressing that many met the required qualifications but could not be accommodated because of the limited vacancies and intense competition. The Comptroller-General said the recruitment reflected the Federal Character principle, with all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory represented. Each state was allocated 105 slots, comprising 35 positions in the Superintendent Cadre, 10 in the Inspectorate Cadre and 60 in the Customs Assistant Cadre, while the FCT received 72 slots under the approved allocation formula. On gender representation, Adeniyi revealed that women accounted for 839 successful candidates, representing 21.8 per cent of the total intake, slightly higher than their 21.2 per cent share of the total applications received. He added that female applicants recorded a marginally higher success rate than their male counterparts, particularly in the Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres, reaffirming the Service’s commitment to encouraging greater female participation in future recruitment, especially in operational and enforcement roles. According to him, the exercise also produced a youthful workforce, with a median age of 26 years and nearly three-quarters of the successful candidates below the age of 30. He said the youthful intake would strengthen the Service’s capacity to embrace modern customs administration driven by technology, data analytics and automated risk management. Adeniyi further announced that the Nigeria Customs Service would now conduct recruitment exercises annually instead of waiting several years between recruitment cycles. He disclosed that the 2026 recruitment exercise would commence later this year, expressing confidence that future recruitment would be completed within a single calendar year, from advertisement to the publication of the final list. According to him, the digital systems, screening architecture and verification processes developed during the current exercise would significantly shorten future recruitment timelines. He explained that the annual recruitment policy would enable the Service to plan its workforce more effectively, promptly replace retiring personnel and provide qualified Nigerians with predictable employment opportunities. The Comptroller-General advised successful candidates to rely only on official Nigeria Customs Service communication channels for further instructions, reiterating that recruitment into the Service remains completely free. He urged members of the public to report anyone demanding money in exchange for employment, describing such individuals as fraudsters. Congratulating the successful candidates, Adeniyi reminded them that they earned their positions through a rigorous and highly competitive process and urged them to uphold the professionalism, discipline and integrity expected of officers of the Nigeria Customs Service. He also assured unsuccessful applicants that another opportunity would be available later this year under the newly introduced annual recruitment programme.

Presidency Rebuts Atiku’s Criticism, Says Tinubu’s Borrowing Supports Economic Growth

Presidency Rebuts Atiku’s Criticism, Says Tinubu’s Borrowing Supports Economic Growth

FG’s Renewed Hope Skills Programme Equips Nigerians With Practical Skills For Self-Reliance

FG’s Renewed Hope Skills Programme Equips Nigerians With Practical Skills For Self-Reliance

FG’s Renewed Hope Skills Programme Equips Nigerians With Practical Skills For Self-Reliance

FG’s Renewed Hope Skills Programme Equips Nigerians With Practical Skills For Self-Reliance

Tinubu, APC Chair, Political Big Wigs Grace Humanitarian Affairs Minister’s Daughter’s Wedding

Tinubu, APC Chair, Political Big Wigs Grace Humanitarian Affairs Minister’s Daughter’s Wedding

Reps Consider Bill to Make Drug Tests Mandatory for Truck Drivers

Reps Consider Bill to Make Drug Tests Mandatory for Truck Drivers

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *