The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Defence Research and Development Bureau (DRDB) on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, jointly tested a locally built airboat at Jabi Lake, Abuja, in a move aimed at boosting maritime security and strengthening anti-smuggling operations.
The homegrown vessel, designed to navigate shallow and hard-to-reach waterways, was inspected and taken on a test run by officers from both agencies. Experts at the exercise underscored its unique capabilities, describing it as a strategic addition to Nigeria’s security toolkit. Speaking during the demonstration, Comptroller Haniel Haddison, who oversees Special Duties at NCS Headquarters, praised the initiative as a landmark achievement in indigenous technology. He stressed that it would help advance anti-smuggling efforts while enhancing capacity development within the service.
“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 said. “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.”
Rear Admiral Suleiman El-Ladan, Director of Maritime Research and Development at the DRDB, also highlighted the importance of inter-agency cooperation, noting that partnerships of this nature are crucial to addressing emerging threats in the maritime domain.
The exercise ended on a symbolic note, with the Director General of the DRDB presenting souvenirs to two senior Customs officers in recognition of their participation and commitment.