By Nkechi Eze
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has announced that all incoming recruits of the Nigeria Customs Service will undergo mandatory drug testing as part of the ongoing recruitment process, with serving officers also scheduled to be subjected to the same procedure.
Adeniyi made the disclosure on Friday, November 21, 2025, during the closing session of the CGC’s 2025 Conference in Abuja. He said the new directive is aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the Service and ensuring that no individual with substance-abuse tendencies is admitted into the system.
According to him, the initiative is designed primarily for newly enlisted personnel, but the broader objective is to establish “a fully drug-free institution” by extending the test to all officers and men across Zones, Commands and the Headquarters.
“We are going to ensure that every new officer is tested so that we do not begin to spend Service resources rehabilitating personnel,” Adeniyi said, stressing that the Nigeria Customs Service would no longer tolerate situations where officers take sensitive operational decisions while under the influence of drugs.
The Customs chief explained that in the past, certain cases of erratic behaviour and questionable judgment in some Commands were later traced to substance misuse, prompting the Service to adopt a more proactive and preventive approach.
“There will be no compromise,” he warned, noting that officers responsible for revenue collection, enforcement duties and border security must exhibit sound judgment and discipline at all times.
Adeniyi also reminded personnel to prioritise their health and maintain routine medical checks, emphasising that both physical and mental fitness remain critical to effective service delivery.
