The Nigeria Customs Service has intensified efforts to choke off illicit financial flows and terrorism financing by rolling out a targeted sensitisation programme to strengthen Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) compliance across its ranks.
Held at the Service’s headquarters in Abuja yesterday, the session doubled as a first-quarter operational review and capacity-building exercise for officers of the AML/CFT Unit, sharpening focus on ethics, intelligence coordination and enforcement readiness.
Addressing participants, Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of Headquarters, Muhammad Shuaibu, said the initiative reflects the growing strategic importance of AML/CFT operations within both the Service and the wider national framework.
He stressed that the Unit’s relevance now goes far beyond traditional checkpoints such as seaports, airports and land borders, noting that its interventions are critical to safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system.
Highlighting recent progress, Shuaibu pointed to improvements in the country’s financial ecosystem, particularly the global usability of Nigerian-issued bank cards.
“This is a major milestone. Nigerians can now travel and use their cards anywhere in the world, with transactions reflecting the local currency. This is a significant achievement for the nation,” he said.
He also urged officers to view postings to the AML/CFT Unit as opportunities for career advancement and specialised capacity development, not as punitive measures. According to him, ongoing collaboration with the World Customs Organization is helping to align Nigeria’s operations with international best practices.
Also speaking, the Acting Provost Marshal, Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Saulawa Sunusi, underscored the need for discipline, professionalism and ethical conduct in tackling financial crimes.
“Officers must remain disciplined, professional, and committed to ethical conduct. Integrity remains the foundation of everything we do,” he said.
Sunusi charged personnel to continually build their capacity, lead by example and uphold standards of punctuality, fairness and professionalism, stressing that strong internal collaboration remains key to operational success.
Participants were further cautioned against the unauthorised disclosure of sensitive information and urged to strictly adhere to established communication protocols, amid growing risks linked to data breaches and intelligence leaks.
The session also featured a technical lecture by Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Faisal Abubakar, who guided officers on effective service correspondence and its role in strengthening official communication.
In his remarks, National Coordinator of AML/CFT, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Mas’ud Salihu, warned that financial crimes are rapidly evolving, with illicit actors increasingly exploiting digital and virtual channels.
He said the Service is intensifying efforts to close operational gaps, strengthen enforcement mechanisms and improve coordination between field commands and headquarters.
Salihu emphasised that sustained sensitisation and proactive intelligence gathering remain critical to staying ahead of emerging threats, commending officers for their engagement and reaffirming management’s commitment to bolstering the AML/CFT framework.
