In a recent initiative aimed at protecting Nigeria’s economy, the Nigeria Customs Service Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command has announced plans to enhance cooperation with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This collaboration was emphasized during a courtesy visit by Customs Area Controller, DC Haliru Abdullahi, to the EFCC Sokoto Zonal Directorate on November 11, 2026.
The meeting is aligned with the operational goals set by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, which focus on collaboration, consolidation, and innovation. During the visit, Abdullahi highlighted the critical need for a robust partnership to address crime that threatens national stability and economic development.
Abdullahi identified a range of significant threats, including economic sabotage, money laundering, and smuggling, as issues necessitating coordinated efforts. He stated that effective cooperation is crucial for tackling these challenges and safeguarding the nation’s economic interests.
He further committed the Nigeria Customs Service to support the EFCC with intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement actions. Abdullahi noted that this closer partnership would improve the detection and prevention of financial crimes linked to illegal economic activities.
The Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC in Sokoto, Mr. Nwanneka Nwonkike, welcomed Abdullahi’s visit and praised the Nigeria Customs Service for its role in protecting the economy. He reiterated the importance of sustained collaboration, particularly in the areas of intelligence gathering, investigations, and prosecution of economic crimes.
Both agencies acknowledged the tactics employed by economic saboteurs to exploit operational gaps and weaknesses in institutional cooperation. They stressed the need for improved communication, joint capacity building, and coordinated strategies to dismantle criminal networks, affirming their commitment to professionalism and accountability in promoting national economic stability.
