Uche Cecil Izuora
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Police Force have positioned themselves through strategic communication initiatives to improve national security.
The communications strategy would go beyond routine public relations, following a high-level meeting between the two Agencies’ communication heads.
Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Anietie Okokon, met with National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Deputy Comptroller (DC) of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, on Monday, 13 July 2026, at NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, where both sides framed effective public messaging as central to institutional trust and security cooperation.
The meeting was part of a broader familiarisation tour Okokon has been conducting since taking on his role, giving both institutions an opportunity to review their existing relationship and identify further areas for coordination on security-related messaging. The timing carried added weight, coinciding with the induction of 70 officers from the NCS Public Relations Unit into the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), a development both officials pointed to as part of a wider shift toward more professional, structured communication practice across security institutions.
Maiwada welcomed the visit, describing it as recognition that both agencies carry shared responsibility for shaping public perception and reinforcing confidence in government institutions. He said the meeting reflects an ongoing effort to align how the NCS and NPF communicate policy and engage stakeholders. “The NCS values its longstanding relationship with the NPF. Today’s engagement presents another opportunity to strengthen professional collaboration between our Public Relations Units and collectively contribute towards building stronger institutions through effective communication and stakeholder engagement,” he said.
Okokon went further in tying the collaboration directly to security objectives, arguing that strategic communication has become indispensable to how modern security institutions operate, not simply a support function. He said coordinated messaging between agencies helps build the public trust needed to support broader security work. “This visit is aimed at further strengthening the cordial relationship between the NPF and the NCS, while enhancing collaboration in strategic communication, public engagement, and information sharing. As institutions serving the Nigerian people, we must continue to work together to promote professionalism, transparency, and effective communication in support of our national security objectives,” he said.