By Stephen Ubanna
It is no longer news that since 2015, no fewer than hundreds of the over 825 senior officers who had been penciled for retirement from the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, under the close watch of Barshir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and who incidentally is the Chairman, World Customs Organisation, WCO, have already retired, while the last batch from the list will proceed on their final disinterment from the Service on September 23,2026 and now begging for replacement.
Adeniyi, the Customs Comptroller General, who is also expected to exit from the Service between June and August 2026, as his one year extension by President Bola Ahmed elapses may have read the handwriting on the wall that if nothing urgent is done to groan new set of senior officers to fill the vacuum that had been left by retired senior and experienced officers and those who still have few months to go there would be a problem.
The CGC’s major worry, according to insiders had been that the dearth of senior officers with the required experience to guide the new generation officers in the implementation of the Administration’s on-going reforms like the Authorised Economic Operator, One Sto Shop, and Time Release Study, TRS, among others would create problem in the Service.
The notable reforms that had been initiated by CGC Adeniyi over the last two years, a retired officer who spoke to the Value News on condition of anonymity had said that it had taken the revenue generating agency and intelligence driven institution that simultaneously protects and facilitates legitimate trade across the nation’s seaports and Land border station to another level, which the CGC, would want to be sustained in the years ahead.
The Customs Comptroller General commitment for Leadership development in the Service may have given him the zeal to embark on the strategic training and retraining session for the new generation officers, Course 24, as some of the 100 participants were said to have attained the enviable rank of Assistant Comptrollers and above and while others are middle level career officers including some junior officers were said to be currently under the senior Customs Command and Leadership course at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, NCCSC, Gwagwalada, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, , which has Dow Gaura, an Assistant Comptroller General as the Commandant .
The 2026, Training programme was said to have been packaged by Training and Doctrine Command, TRADOC, and approved by the CGC, tagged ‘’Senior Customs Command and Leadership Course’’, for the batch A, officers which had commenced proper on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
It was said to have been well attended by the officers who had been trained from course 24, programme as the Makharfi Lecture Hall was filled to capacity, showing the importance attached to the training by the senior officers who are enthusiastic t to be appointed tohead strategic positions at their respective Commands, Zonal and even at the Customs Headquarters.
Suleiman Chiroma, a Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, TRADOC, had said that the courses had lasted for six months for the senior officers and three months for the junior course participants.
Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, a Deputy Comptroller and the Service spokesperson, had said that the training session for the new generation senior officers reflects the Service’s strategic focus on preparing the officers for higher responsibilities amid evolving operational, security and trade facilitation challenges.
Hamid Ali, an Army Colonel rtd, may not have paid much attention to the capacity building of the officers, but had tried to encourage the new generation senior officers by giving them double promotions as most of them as at 2026, had attained the Deputy Comptroller’s Rank with several training programme organized for them at various stages of their career growth by CGC Adeniyi. The training programme may have encouraged him to saddle some of them who had attained the DC’s rank with higher responsibilities of appointed acting Area Controllers of Commands and are believed to be doing exceedingly well in the areas of revenue collection and anti-smuggling operations that had shocked many industry stakeholders.
This is evident going by what the foursome of DCS. Moses Adewole, acting Area Controller of Oyo/Osun Command, Oladapo Olukayode Afeni, Ogun I , Idiroko, BL. Adigun, Kirikiri Lighter Teminal, KLT, and Abubakar Lucky Aliyu, Coordinator of Operation, whirlwind, with a mandate to disrupt Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, popular, petrol smuggling networks and ensure that the petrol product gets to its destination in every part of the country without diversion, is impressive.
Many believes that the groaning of these new generation officers would churn out more senior officers that would occupy more strategic positions at Command, Zonal and Headquarters that had been vacant for months.
Speaking at the senior officers’ batch A, training session at theNCCSC, CGC Adeniyi, who had described the Training programme ‘’as a defining investment in the Service future’’, noted leadership within the NCS is exercised at every level and cautioned against the gradual erosion of standards, institutional culture and accountability as the old generation senior officers continue to exit the system, between 2025 and now.
The CGC , was said to have made the Course participants to understand that ‘’it was designed to test Character, competence and discipline ‘’ stressing that Leadership exposes both strength and weaknesses of officers occupying such positions at the Command, Zoal and at the Headquarters.
Appealing to officers ‘’to avoid personalizing authority, hoarding knowledge, or engaging in unhealty competition, when appointed into Leadership positions’’, he asserted ‘’that strong institutions are built on shared purpose, continuity and mentorship’’.
This may have informed why he had told the batch A, senior officers Course participants ‘’ that this level their success and growth in the Service is determined less by what the officer know on the job but more by who you are’’.
Putting on the garb of a Leader, who administers officers, both senior, junior and the support Staff, in the Service, he was said to have made them to understand that the authority you wield amplifies your Character in the Service and in the eye of the public.
According to him, ‘’it exposes strength and also reveals weakness’’. It was not surprising why he had told from the onset that throughout this course programme that had been put together by the Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, ‘’ the officer will be challenged to look inward to reflect on his judgement, discipline, values and behaviour under pressure’’, stressing ‘’that the discomfort is deliberate, because growth does not occur in comfort zones’’.
The CGC, who could not hide his feelings was said to have further described the Leadership development programme for the young generation senior officers as a deliberate effort by the Service to prepare officers for the defining moment in its history, noting’’ that the quality of future Leadership in the Service would depend the decisions, discipline and mindset of the officers currently being trained’’.
He had challenged the young generation senior officers to justify the Service’s investment in their development by translating knowledge into results that could build capable teams and prepare others for future Leadership roles. Appreciating the course participants on reaching this significant career milestone in the Service, the CGC, had encouraged the new senior officers ‘’to fully absorb the experience, reflect honestly and apply the lessons learned to the advance the NCS.
DC. Maiwada, the Customs spokesperson, had said the Course training programme had featured intensive sessions on Leadership potentials, including authenticity and integrity, emotional intelligence, effective communication, strategic thinking, business acumen, and managing relationships with diverse stakeholders.
The course participants were said to have examined lessons from the 4×400 metre relay race as a Leadership case study,’’ highlighting the importance of teamwork, synergy, timing and collective responsibility’’.
Discussions were said to further explored how breakdowns in teamwork can create hostile, hindering and hypocritical work environments, while identifying the core elements of high-performing teams, including mindset, mission, methods, movement, message and Leadership by example.
