By Muhammad Mamman
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has introduced a sweeping new policy that mandates drug testing for both new recruits and serving officers, in what officials describe as a decisive step to safeguard the integrity of the agency.
Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi announced the measure on Tuesday during the closing session of the 2025 CGC Conference in Abuja. The policy, already embedded in the ongoing recruitment process, aims to prevent individuals who are unfit or dependent on substances from entering or remaining in the Service.
Adeniyi stressed that the demands of border security, law enforcement, and revenue collection leave no room for compromised judgment among personnel.
“We can no longer afford the risk of impaired decision-making among our officers,” he said, according to a statement issued by Customs spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada. “There will be no compromise. We are going to ensure that every new officer is tested so that we do not begin to spend Service resources rehabilitating personnel.”
The policy is expected to reshape the Service’s internal standards, with Adeniyi framing it as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening professionalism and public trust.
Further details on implementation timelines and disciplinary measures for noncompliance are expected to be issued in the coming weeks.
