….Customs Police Unit Emerges Football Champions of NCS Zone A Inter-Command Games
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has called for the expansion of its inter-command sports competition to other zones and the development of modern sporting facilities to promote officers’ fitness, teamwork and athletic talent.
Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi made the call at the closing ceremony of the NCS Zone A Inter-Command Games held at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, Lagos, on September 5, 2026.
The games, which began on August 17, brought together 16 teams from Customs commands across Zone A to compete in football, chess, badminton and table tennis under the theme, “Fit to Serve, United to Lead.”
Adeniyi said the competition demonstrated the importance of sports in building discipline, teamwork, collaboration and strategic thinking among officers, qualities he said were equally essential to Customs’ core responsibilities.
He said the three pillars of his administration — consolidation, collaboration and innovation — were reflected in the organisation of the games, while commending the participating commands and sister security agencies for their support.
The Comptroller-General also stressed the need to improve sports infrastructure across the Service, recalling that facilities at the Customs Training College had changed little since he trained there more than 30 years ago.
“I am ashamed to admit to the fact that when I trained here over 30 years ago, the sporting facilities that we have here wasn’t anything. It was just about the same stage that it was over 30 years ago,” he said.
Adeniyi noted that the Service had produced competitive athletes and teams in several sports, including volleyball, basketball, football and athletics. He also disclosed that two Customs officers had recently secured Olympic qualification in beach volleyball.
He said plans for a new Customs training college included the provision of modern sporting facilities, while temporary improvements could also be made at the existing college to support recruits and officers.
The Comptroller-General said sports could strengthen the operational effectiveness of the Service because discipline, teamwork and strategy learned through competition were directly applicable to patrol, revenue collection and other Customs duties.
“Without an overarching discipline, patrol will fail. Without an overarching strategy, revenue generation, will fail if there is no strategy,” he said.
Chairman of the Games Planning Committee, Comptroller Chidi Nwokorie, said the competition was designed to promote officers’ physical health, mental well-being, friendship and team spirit, adding that a healthy and motivated workforce was essential to achieving the Service’s operational and revenue targets.
“No matter how ambitious our revenue targets may be, and no matter how advanced our operational strategies are, it is healthy and motivated officers who must ultimately deliver that,” Nwokorie said.
He called for the competition to be expanded to other Customs zones, with the long-term goal of establishing a National NCS Inter-Zonal Sports Competition.
Nwokorie also urged the Service to strengthen existing sporting facilities and develop new ones, saying the games could help identify and nurture athletic talent among officers.
He acknowledged that the first edition was not perfect but said lessons from the event would inform improvements in subsequent editions.
Beyond the trophies, he said, the competition provided officers with an opportunity to exercise, compete, interact and strengthen bonds across commands, reinforcing a sense of unity within the Service.
In his remarks, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A Headquarters, Assistant Comptroller-General Mohammed Babandede, also commended officers and participating commands for their commitment to the competition.
Meanwhile, the Customs Police Unit emerged champions of the football competition after defeating the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Command 1–0 in the final. The decisive goal came early in the first half, with the Unit holding on to its lead until the final whistle.
