Ogun Customs Heads Collaborative Effort to Strengthen Border Security

In a bid to enhance border security and facilitate smooth cross-border trade, the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun I Area Command, recently organised a joint security engagement.

The high-level meeting, held last week at Idiroko, brought together heads of sister security agencies from Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, along with other key stakeholders involved in border management, the command said via its social media channels.

Speaking at the forum, Acting Customs Area Controller, Deputy Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, who chairs the Joint Security Forum, emphasised that securing the border is essential for effective trade facilitation and revenue generation.

“My goal is to assess the current security situation at the border and address challenges affecting both trade and regional safety,” Afeni said, noting that the participation of Beninese counterparts highlights the importance of bilateral cooperation. He added that discussions included issues such as multiple checkpoints and other obstacles affecting trade flow.

Afeni further stressed that while security remains the top priority, efficient cargo movement along border corridors can only be achieved through continued collaboration among all stakeholders. He described the outlook for the New Year as positive and assured that officers and men of the command are committed to surpassing past operational successes.

The engagement included interactive sessions where participants identified challenges and proposed solutions aimed at reducing travel time and boosting business activities along the Idiroko border corridor.

Ogun I Area Command, headquartered in Idiroko, oversees strategic land border points connecting Nigeria with the Republic of Benin, making it a critical unit for border security, smuggling prevention, and trade regulation in the South-West region.