Determined to boost security, the Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun I Area Command, has organised a joint border security engagement aimed at enhancing regional security and promoting smooth cross-border trade.
The command, while announcing this in a post via one of its social media handles, stressed that the high-level stakeholders’ meeting, held last week at Idiroko, brought together heads of sister security agencies from Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, alongside other critical stakeholders involved in border management.
Speaking at the forum, the acting Customs Area Controller in charge, Oladapo Afeni, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs, stated that his mandate as the Chairman of the Joint Security Forum prioritises securing the border as a foundation for effective trade facilitation and revenue generation.
“My aim is to reappraise the security situation at the border to discuss issues impeding the smooth flow of trade and regional security,” he stated.
He noted that the presence of Beninese counterparts underscored the importance of bilateral collaboration in resolving shared challenges.
“Our counterparts from the Republic of Benin are here, so we are going to discuss issues affecting both sides, including multiple checkpoints,” Afeni added.
Afeni further explained that while security remains paramount, efficient cargo movement along border corridors can only be achieved through sustained cooperation among key stakeholders.
He described the command’s outlook for the New Year as promising, while also assuring that officers and men of the command are committed to surpassing previous operational achievements.
The engagement also featured an interactive session during which participants identified challenges and proffered solutions aimed at reducing travel time and improving business activities along the Idiroko Border axis.
Ogun I Area Command is a key operational unit of the Nigeria Customs Service, headquartered in Idiroko, Ogun State. It covers strategic land border points and routes that connect Nigeria with the Republic of Benin, making it central to border security, smuggling prevention, and trade regulation in the South-West region.
