The Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme Area Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Kaila, has flagged off a new chapter in the leadership of the unit with a familiarisation visit to sister security agencies along the Lagos–Abidjan business corridor. The initiative, undertaken on Wednesday, 1 April 2026, signals his commitment to strengthening inter‑agency collaboration and enhancing border security and trade facilitation at one of Nigeria’s busiest frontiers.
Kaila began the visit at the 243 Recce Battalion Ibereko Barracks in Badagry, where he met with the Commanding Officer, Lt. Colonel Ambrose Ikoro, and other officers. During the engagement, he explained that the visit was aimed at fostering greater understanding, cooperation, and intelligence sharing among security agencies tasked with safeguarding the Seme corridor. He described Seme as a critical gateway for trade and services between Nigeria and its neighbours, underscoring the high volume of cross‑border movement, commerce, and human traffic that pass through the area daily.
“Seme border is known to be a critical gateway for trade and services between Nigeria and other countries,” Kaila said. “If you look at the volume of trade taking place here, movement of people and cross‑border activities, one can easily say Seme is a sensitive and strategic economic corridor and that is why we need continuous collaboration, intelligence sharing and mutual support.”
He stressed that synergy between the Nigeria Customs Service and sister agencies such as the Nigerian Army, Navy, and other security outfits would not only enhance security along the corridor but also promote economic stability and improve the general well‑being of residents in border communities. He urged his counterparts to build on existing partnerships and deepen cooperation in the discharge of their shared mandates.
Lt. Colonel Ambrose Ikoro commended the Customs Service for its vital role in securing the border and facilitating trade, reaffirming the Army’s commitment to maintaining and strengthening the existing synergy. “I know the synergy and cooperation that exist between the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Customs Service,” he said. “We have also pledged to maintain and improve upon what we have built. Supporting the Customs is necessary and our COAS has said we as a unit operating in border areas are to support every relevant security agency, which of course Customs falls among them.”
Later in the day, Comptroller Kaila extended his familiarisation tour to the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Badagry, the 15 Field Engineer Regiment of the Nigerian Army in Topo, Badagry, as well as the NAFDAC Office at Seme. The engagements were designed to reinforce inter‑agency coordination, identify joint operational challenges, and explore ways to ease legitimate trade while curbing smuggling, fraud, and other cross‑border threats.
The visit marks the beginning of Kaila’s tenure as the new Customs Area Controller in Seme and reflects a broader strategy to position the Area Command as a hub for coordinated, intelligence‑driven border management. By consolidating partnerships with sister agencies, the Seme Area Command aims to reduce trade barriers, strengthen security, and create a more enabling environment for lawful commerce along the Lagos–Abidjan corridor.