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ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Economic Security and Justice has defended the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, dismissing claims that the agency’s border enforcement policies are responsible for the rising cost of food across the country.
Instead, the coalition alleged that recent campaigns demanding Adeniyi’s removal were being driven by cross-border smuggling syndicates and import cartels whose illegal operations have suffered significant setbacks under the current Customs leadership.
In a press statement signed by its Convener and Director of Strategic Communications, Comrade James Okoronkwo, the coalition described the allegations against the Customs boss as misleading and intended to manipulate public opinion against ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s economic security.
According to the coalition, attributing food inflation to the Nigeria Customs Service ignores the agency’s constitutional responsibility of protecting the nation’s borders and preventing Nigeria from becoming a destination for illegally imported and subsidized foreign goods.
“It is sheer economic blackmail to blame the Customs Service for inflation when their core mandate is to secure our borders and protect the Nigerian economy from becoming a dumping ground for subsidized foreign goods,” the statement said.
The group argued that the Customs Service’s anti-smuggling operations are protecting billions of naira invested in Nigeria’s agricultural sector and preserving the livelihoods of millions of farmers and workers across the agricultural value chain.
It warned that allowing unrestricted smuggling would undermine domestic food production, discourage local investment and reverse years of government intervention aimed at achieving food security.
The coalition also maintained that easing restrictions on food imports through illegal channels would worsen Nigeria’s foreign exchange challenges by increasing demand for the United States dollar, thereby placing additional pressure on the naira and driving inflation beyond food prices.
Beyond economic considerations, the coalition stressed that the Customs Service remains a critical player in Nigeria’s national security architecture.
According to the statement, intensified border surveillance has helped curb the illegal movement of small arms and light weapons into the country, contributing to ongoing efforts to combat insecurity.
The CSOs further applauded Adeniyi’s leadership, noting that the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded significant improvements in revenue generation while blocking financial leakages and disrupting illicit trade networks.
The coalition said these achievements demonstrate the agency’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s long-term economic interests rather than serving the interests of criminal syndicates.
Passing what it described as a Vote of Confidence in the Customs Comptroller-General, the coalition urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigerians not to be swayed by what it called coordinated propaganda from economic saboteurs seeking to weaken the country’s border protection system.
“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian public to ignore the desperate propaganda of economic saboteurs,” the statement said. “We urge the CGC to remain steadfast in his patriotic duty to secure our borders, protect local industries, strengthen national security and safeguard Nigeria’s economic future.”
The coalition reaffirmed its support for the Nigeria Customs Service, insisting that sustained border enforcement remains essential to protecting local production, preserving foreign exchange and ensuring the country’s long-term economic stability.
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