The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says the service will collaborate with the Nigerian Navy to maintain the NCS fleet of vessels.

The NCS Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, said this in a statement in Lagos on Saturday.

Mr Adeniyi said the step would enable the NCS to maintain its presence in Nigeria’s territorial waters against smugglers.

Mr Adeniyi, who visited the Naval Dockyard in Lagos, stated that the Nigerian Navy had the capacity and knowledge to maintain the NCS fleet of vessels.

“We don’t need to establish a vessel maintenance unit; it’s capital intensive, but we have an agency of government that has the knowledge, that has the capacity and there’s the willingness for them to assist us.

“I have seen and marvelled by the capacity that exists here in the Naval Dockyard and we believe that we can tap into that capacity and enter into some agreement with you so that you can manage the maintenance of our fleets,” he said.

Mr Adeniyi stressed that fortifying the NCS presence in Nigeria’s coastal waters would reduce smuggling activities to the barest minimum.

“If we block the land borders effectively and do not maintain a very strong presence on our territorial waters, smugglers will take advantage.

“So, we also need to fortify and enhance our presence to check those who may want to try smuggling through our waters,” he said.

Responding, the managing director/chief executive officer of Naval Dockyard Ltd., Rear Admiral Abolaji Orederu, maintained that the Naval dockyard had a significant role in vessel maintenance, repairs and even shipbuilding.

“Naval dockyard is well poised to take advantage of situations like this, and we see the Nigeria Customs Service as a powerful ally of the Nigerian Navy.

“The capacity is here and the excess capacity can be used to support other agencies, the larger maritime community and the shipping world as a whole,” he said.

(NAN)