Customs to Deploy AI, Scanners to Tackle Smuggling, Corruption

The Nigeria Customs Service has announced plans to deploy artificial intelligence, advanced scanners and electronic cargo tracking systems to strengthen intelligence-led enforcement and tackle smuggling, internal corruption and emerging security threats.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the service must move beyond traditional enforcement methods by embracing technology, stronger cooperation among security agencies and professional policing to combat increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

He also warned officers against abusing their powers, stressing that all enforcement activities must comply with the law and respect human rights.

Adeniyi spoke on Thursday at the inaugural Customs Police Summit 2026, organised by the Customs Police Unit in Abuja, where he outlined measures to strengthen internal discipline and border enforcement.

He said criminal networks were becoming more sophisticated, using legitimate trade routes to move firearms and their components, narcotics, counterfeit medicines, protected wildlife and illicit funds, often through digital channels.

“I stand before you in two capacities: as Comptroller-General of Customs and as Chairperson of the WCO Council. From both positions, one truth is clear. Customs must facilitate legitimate trade and stop illicit trade and it can do neither without a disciplined and trusted police unit to uphold its own standards,” he said.

The Customs chief identified three lessons from the service’s history, including the need for officers to demonstrate integrity before demanding it from traders and the public.

He also stressed that enforcement powers must be exercised with restraint and within the law.

According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 grants officers police powers, but every search, arrest and detention must have lawful grounds and withstand public and judicial scrutiny.

He said enforcement would be more effective through cooperation, citing initiatives such as the One-Stop Shop as examples of how trade facilitation and security operations could work together.

“Our answer must be smarter, not harder. WCO instruments such as the SAFE Framework, the Authorised Economic Operator programme, advance rulings, the Time Release Study and the Revised Kyoto Convention reward compliance and free officers to focus on real risk. They also reduce the room for abuse and corruption,” he said.

Adeniyi said technology would play a central role in improving intelligence gathering, investigations and operational efficiency.

He identified the service’s B’Odogwu digital platform, which integrates declarations, valuation and risk management processes, as well as the INTERPOL Data Centre at Customs Headquarters, as important tools for strengthening intelligence-led operations.

However, he warned that technology must not replace human judgment or established legal procedures.

“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,” he said.

The Customs chief also called for a review of some of the Customs Police Unit’s original responsibilities introduced in 2019, particularly the monitoring of containers in transit.

He explained that technological advances had provided more effective ways of tracking cargo movements, making it necessary to reassess traditional duties and identify areas where modern systems could improve operations.

Adeniyi further stressed the need to strengthen internal accountability, noting that the service could not demand integrity from traders and members of the public without maintaining the same standards among its personnel.

He traced customs administration in Nigeria to 1891, while preventive enforcement arrangements were established in 1945.

The Customs Police Unit was inaugurated in July 2019 to investigate misconduct among personnel, prevent crime and ensure compliance with established regulations.

He maintained that the unit’s founding principle remained that no officer was above the law.

The Comptroller-General outlined three strategic pillars for strengthening the unit: consolidation, collaboration and innovation.

He explained that consolidation would involve establishing clear procedures for arrests, detention and investigations, improving case-file management and ensuring continuous professional development.

On collaboration, he called for stronger partnerships with the Nigeria Police Force, Armed Forces, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Department of State Services, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other relevant agencies.

He said no single institution could effectively tackle illicit trade without sustained cooperation and intelligence sharing.

Adeniyi also urged participants to develop a comprehensive Customs Police doctrine based on the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and the Revised Arusha Declaration.

Earlier, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs and Provost Marshal, TS Sanusi, emphasised the importance of professional standards, transparency, ethical conduct and anti-corruption measures.

Similarly, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Shuaibu, described the unit as critical to national security, internal discipline and the protection of the service’s reputation.

He called for stronger internal controls, impartial investigations and consistent enforcement of disciplinary standards.

The summit is expected to produce recommendations on joint operations, intelligence sharing, the responsible use of artificial intelligence, evidence management and specialised training for Customs Police personnel.