ABUJA – Customs chief on Friday urged the agency’s internal policing unit to uphold strict internal accountability and deploy artificial intelligence to combat sophisticated smuggling networks, declaring that “no officer is above the law.”

‎Speaking at the inaugural Customs Police Summit in the capital, Abuja, Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) cannot effectively facilitate legitimate trade or curb illicit trafficking without a disciplined internal watchdog.

‎”Before we demand integrity from traders and the public, we must show it ourselves,” Adeniyi, who also chairs the World Customs Organization (WCO) Council, told security officials and enforcement partners at the NAF Conference Centre. “Authority requires restraint.”

‎Established in July 2019 to investigate erring personnel and ensure compliance, the Customs Police Unit operates under expanded policing powers granted by the NCS Act 2023. Adeniyi stressed that every search, arrest and detention carried out by officers must rest on lawful grounds and withstand judicial scrutiny.

‎Criminal syndicates are increasingly exploiting legitimate trade corridors and digital channels to smuggle firearm components, narcotics, counterfeit medicines, protected wildlife and illicit funds, he said.

‎To counter these threats, Adeniyi outlined a three-pillar strategy focused on consolidation, inter-agency collaboration and technological innovation. He highlighted the agency’s unified digital trade platform, B’Odogwu, alongside access to INTERPOL criminal databases, advanced scanners and electronic cargo tracking.

‎However, the customs chief cautioned that technology must remain subordinate to legal oversight.

‎”Algorithms may flag risks, but only officers acting within the law can exercise enforcement powers, with audit trails, data protection and human oversight at every step,” Adeniyi said.

‎He called on the summit to produce a formal Customs Police doctrine anchored in domestic law and the WCO’s Revised Arusha Declaration, establish protocols for joint operations with sister agencies—including the police, military and anti-narcotics authorities—and set guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in investigations.

‎”Integrity remains the greatest badge you carry,” Adeniyi told unit personnel before officially declaring the summit open.