Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief
The Comptroller-Basic of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has bolstered the air surveillance capabilities of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) with the acquisition of a Cessna Grand Caravan EX-208B.
This improvement, described as pivotal for the NCS’s airwing operations, was introduced in an announcement launched in Abuja.
Registered as 5N-BAA, the brand new plane is predicted to considerably improve the NCS’s air patrol and surveillance efforts aimed toward combating smuggling alongside the nation’s borders.
CGC Adeniyi highlighted the significance of this acquisition, stating that the plane is provided with a contemporary Garmin G1000 Avionics cockpit system, enabling it to function successfully below day, night time, and low-visibility circumstances. “This plane might be a game-changer for the Nigeria Customs Service’s Airwing. Its capability to hold 10 officers and its six-hour aerial endurance will considerably improve our capability for air surveillance and border patrol,” he emphasised.
Powered by the PT6 Pratt and Whitney engine, the Cessna Grand Caravan is globally acknowledged for its rugged versatility, short-field takeoff and touchdown capabilities, and talent to function on distant airstrips, making it ideally suited to border safety operations in Nigeria.
The plane will play an important position in air patrols aimed toward detecting smuggling routes, deploying armed personnel, and offering swift assist for floor operations. “With this plane, we’ll strengthen our air border patrol capabilities, which won’t solely assist us intercept unlawful actions but additionally present fast extraction assist when crucial,” CGC Adeniyi defined, aligning this initiative with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda.
Moreover, the plane will function a strategic asset for Nigeria Customs Technical and Hangar Companies Ltd, providing logistical assist and income technology for the Service. CGC Adeniyi underscored the cost-efficiency of the Cessna Grand Caravan, noting that its operational prices are comparatively low in comparison with different plane in its class. “This can be a long-term funding for the Service that enhances our operational effectivity and contributes to the sustainability of our air surveillance applications,” he added.
Capt. Kuhi Mbaya, the Plane Operations Coordinator and Managing Director of Nigeria Customs Technical and Hangar Companies Ltd, lauded the acquisition as a milestone for the NCS aviation unit. “With this plane, the Nigeria Customs Service is poised to revitalize its air border patrol actions, securing our borders extra successfully and bettering income technology for each the Service and the nation,” Capt. Mbaya remarked.
The acquisition of the Cessna Grand Caravan is predicted to offer important tactical benefits to the Nigeria Customs Service, tightening border safety and sending a transparent sign to financial saboteurs that the Service is now higher outfitted than ever to fight smuggling actions.