Customs Seeks Navy’s Support On Marine Capability

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The management of the Nigeria Customs Service has reached out to the Nigeria Naval Authority for technical support with its marine operational capabilities, especially in the area of helping to maintain the service’s fleet rather than establishing own shipyard; which the customs management argues will amount to waste of resources.

The customs leadership according to a statement by the Customs National Public Relations Officer, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, is convinced that the naval dockyard can serve the need of government owned marine fleet across departments.

The statement notes that amidst other strategic collaborative efforts, the Nigeria Customs Service has taken a step further to deepen collaboration between the Service and the Nigerian Navy to maintain its presence in Nigeria’s territorial waters against smugglers.

The statement further disclosed that the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, who visited the Naval Dockyard in Lagos on Thursday, 16th November 2023, stated that the Nigerian Navy has the capacity and knowledge to maintain the NCS fleet of Vessels.

“We don’t need to establish a vessel maintenance unit; its capital intensive, but we have an agency of government that has the knowledge, that has the capacity and there’s the willingness for them to assist us. I have seen and marveled by the capacity that exists here in the Naval Dockyard and we believe that we could tap into that capacity and enter into some agreement with you so that you could manage the maintenance of our fleets,” he said.

The CGC stressed that fortifying the NCS’ presence in Nigeria’s coastal waters will reduce smuggling activities to the barest minimum.

“If we block the land borders effectively and do not maintain a very strong presence on our territorial waters, smugglers will take advantage, so we also need to fortify and enhance our presence to checkmate those who may want to try smuggling through our waters” , the CGC stated.

In response, the MD/CEO of Naval Dockyard Ltd., Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, maintained that the naval dockyard has a significant role in vessel maintenance, repairs and even ship building.

“Naval dockyard is well poised to take advantage of situations like this, and we see the Nigeria Customs Service as a powerful ally of the Nigerian Navy. The capacity is here and the excess capacity can be used to support other agencies, the larger maritime community and the shipping world as a whole”, he declared.