The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the dissolution of its Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) following consultations with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
This move comes amidst accusations of aiding smuggling and engaging in brutality against Nigerians, as highlighted in a motion by Rep. Sesi Whingan, prompting the House of Representatives to mandate investigations into the NCS’s border operations.
The JBPT, a tripartite operation involving Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Niger Republic, was initially tasked with curbing smuggling and transnational crimes. However, the NCS Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, emphasized that the dissolution aligns with the agency’s 2025 enforcement strategy, aimed at modernizing operations, strengthening border security, and facilitating legitimate trade.
NCS Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi also announced plans to reduce customs checkpoints nationwide, shifting reliance toward intelligence and strategic risk management for more effective operations. Adeniyi assured that border security and trade facilitation would not be compromised despite these changes.
