COMPT ADELAJA HARPS ON SYNERGY WITH THE EFCC IN COMBATING FINANCIAL & ECONOMIC CRIMES
The Customs Area Controller of Oyo/Osun Area Command, Comptroller Joseph Olugbuyi Adelaja, on Thursday, February 27, 2025, paid a courtesy visit to the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was warmly received by the Zonal Director, Hajia Hauwa Garba Ringim, alongside other principal officers of the EFCC.
In his opening remarks, Comptroller JO Adelaja expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and the opportunity to engage with the sister security agency. He underscored the core mandates of the Nigeria Customs Service, which include the generation of revenue, trade facilitation, and the suppression of smuggling as well as financial crimes that threaten the nation’s economic stability.
While the Customs Area Controller, was addressing the Principal Officers of the EFCC, he emphasized on the importance of synergy between the NCS and the EFCC in the fight against economic and financial crimes. He acknowledged the EFCC’s crucial role in combating financial crimes, money laundering, and illicit trade activities that undermine Nigeria’s economic growth. He further commended the agency’s relentless efforts in tackling financial crimes and pledged to enhance collaboration through intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity-building initiatives.
In response, the EFCC Zonal Director, Hajia Hauwa Garba Ringim, appreciated the visit of the Customs Area Controller and his entourage to the agency. She reaffirmed the EFCC’s commitment to fostering stronger inter-agency cooperation, particularly in intelligence sharing and joint operations, to curb trans-border financial crimes.
The meeting also highlighted the need for concerted efforts to combat illegal wildlife trafficking, a growing concern with economic and environmental implications. The EFCC assured the Customs Area Controller of its readiness to collaborate with the NCS in addressing financial crimes and illegal trade activities that could hinder the nation’s economic progress.