Customs, Defence Bureau Test Indigenous Airboat to Bolster Anti-Smuggling, Maritime Security Operations
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in partnership with the Defence Research and Development Bureau (DRDB), has successfully tested a locally built airboat designed to enhance anti-smuggling operations and strengthen maritime security across Nigeria’s waterways.
The test run, which took place on Wednesday at Jabi Lake, Abuja, marked a significant step in the country’s drive towards indigenous technological innovation for national security.
The airboat, specifically engineered to navigate shallow and difficult-to-access waterways, was demonstrated before senior officers of both agencies, showcasing its agility and operational capacity.
Addressing reporters after the exercise, Comptroller Haniel Haddison, who oversees Special Duties at NCS Headquarters, described the development as a milestone achievement in homegrown innovation. He praised the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for his foresight in advancing modern approaches to anti-smuggling.
“This is a welcome idea for the Nigeria Customs Service and we commend the efforts of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, to ensure that we add value in our equipment,” Haddison remarked.
“This is a very good collaboration and that is what the Comptroller-General of Customs stands for – synergy and collaboration with sister agencies, particularly as it relates to capacity building. This will add value to the competency and capability of the Nigeria Customs Service,” he added.
Echoing this view, Rear Admiral Suleiman El-Ladan, Director of Maritime Research and Development at the DRDB, emphasised that joint initiatives between security agencies were vital in tackling contemporary threats to Nigeria’s maritime environment.
He noted that the innovation reflected the country’s determination to reduce reliance on imported technology while tailoring solutions to its unique security challenges.
The event concluded with the symbolic presentation of souvenirs by the Director General of the DRDB to the senior Customs officers in attendance, as a gesture of appreciation for their support and commitment.
The collaboration is expected to pave the way for further deployments of the indigenous airboat in field operations, enhancing Nigeria’s capacity to combat smuggling and safeguard its maritime borders.
