By Stella Odueme
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has strengthened its operational and leadership capacity with the graduation of 50 officers who successfully completed the three-month Junior Course 25 at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The graduation ceremony, held in Abuja' , according to a statement on Sunday, brought together senior Customs officials, officers, families and other stakeholders to celebrate the successful completion of the professional development programme.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who served as the Special Guest of Honour, charged the graduates to demonstrate integrity, competence and sound judgment in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Adeniyi urged the officers to place national interest above personal considerations, stressing that modern Customs administration requires effective leadership, accountability and the ability to make sound decisions in complex operational environments.
He said leadership should not be measured by rank alone, but by the competence, fairness, courage and responsibility demonstrated by an officer.
The CGC encouraged the graduates to translate the knowledge and skills acquired during the course into effective performance as they return to their various commands.
The Commandant of the College, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Dow Gaura, commended the officers for their commitment throughout the training and highlighted efforts to improve the institution's capacity.
According to him, the College is adopting digital learning tools and strengthening strategic training partnerships, including collaboration with the Nigerian Army, to enhance the quality of professional development for Customs personnel.
Certificates were presented to all 50 graduates, while the three best-performing officers received special awards from the Comptroller-General.
The graduation activities had commenced earlier in the week with a regimental dinner on Wednesday, August 26, where Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs Suleiman Chiroma, who represented the CGC, charged the officers to demonstrate vigilance, professionalism and decisive leadership in their post-training assignments.
The latest graduation underscores the NCS's continued emphasis on human-capital development and the preparation of officers to effectively respond to the evolving demands of Customs administration.