The Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged to improve Customs community relations in border areas.
According to him, the role of the border community is vital to assisting security agencies in the discharge of their duties as regards national security.
He made this known on Sunday when he visited traditional rulers in Idiroko area.
“Members of this community, like all other border communities in Nigeria, have a significant role in helping our security agencies in the discharge of their role as regards national security.
“Idiroko is very strategic to our operations. All borders around Idiroko represent a strategic gateway to not just trade and economic development of Nigeria but also for national security management,” he said.
“I will request you, as a community, to continue to support the government. We have a new administration that has shown that it will listen to people, a new administration that has demonstrated that when policies are not working, we are ready to review it.
“Because of that commitment, I want to charge members of this community to channel your reactions appropriately to government, and as a responsible government, I believe that they will listen to you and make amendments where necessary.”
He assured the traditional rulers of fair opportunities of their indigenes for recruitment into the Nigeria Customs Service.
“One fair commitment will like to give to you is that we will do better in recruitment with people in border communities in the Nigeria Customs Service because we believe that they are stakeholders, and customs community relationship is stronger when you know that you have your sons and daughters in the Nigeria Customs Service.
“We are also not unmindful of the fact that where we have this kind of critical operations, we should also be talking about the kind of corporate social responsibility programs that we are going to be doing in places like this,” he said.
The traditional rulers Adeniyi visited include the Oniko of Iko Idiroko, the Onikpokia of Ikpokia and the Olu of Ilaro.
The Customs boss also visited the Ogun I Area Command at Idiroko, where he was received by the Area Controller, Bamidele Makinde, and the representatives of other government agencies.
He reiterated the need for all agencies to remain focused and committed towards the ideal of national and regional security.