Jonathan wants Customs to tackle smuggling of small arms

President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the Customs Service to intensify patrol on the boarders in order to control the smuggling of small arms which he said have contributed to heightening insecurity in the country.Jonathan gave the charge yesterday during the commissioning of the Customs Staff College in Gwagwalada, Abuja.The centre has also been designated as World Customs Organisation Regional Training Centre.He assured that his administration was committed to making the customs a model agency in West Africa as well as a trusted guardian of the borders.Jonathan said the training centre was in line with his administrations resolve to train Nigerians and urged the customs to expand the facilities for the use of other agencies.The Secretary General of World Customs Organisation, Kunio Mikuriya, in his remarks, said trade was the engine of economic growth, adding that customs was a critical service and an infrastructure of trade.Speaking, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi, said the centre would be used to produce middle and senior customs managers and administrators across the region.Dikko assured that the training centre, which will cut overseas training cost, would be made available to other sister agencies and stakeholders.In attendance were former president Shehu Shagari, Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar and former heads of customs.
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