The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Dr. Adewale Bashir Adeniyi has made public the decision of the Customs High Command to make drug test compulsory for recruits into the service and those already serving.
To this end, the service has introduced a mandatory drug test for applicants in the ongoing recruitment exercise into NCS with plans to extend the measure to its serving personnel.
Maritime Bits checks revealed that the mandatory drug test is as part of the renewed push to strengthen discipline and uphold integrity within its ranks and file of NCS across the country.
A statement issued by NCS and signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Dr. Abdullahi Maiwada said the directive aligns with resolutions reached at the just-concluded Comptroller-General Conference in Abuja.
Giving an insight into the decision, Maiwada, an Assistant Comptroller of Customs (AC) said the move is intended to curb “erratic behaviour or poor decision-making” linked to substance misuse.
Part of the statement which was made available to Maritime Bits reads: “The Nigeria Customs Service has concluded arrangements to subject all incoming officers and men to a mandatory drug test as part of the ongoing recruitment exercise. The measure was designed to ensure that no recruit enters the Service with substance-abuse tendencies that could compromise judgment, security responsibilities, or operational integrity.
“The new directive is aimed primarily at the fresh intake of recruits, but serving officers will also be captured as the Service moves towards establishing what he described as ‘a fully drug-free institution. A mandatory drug test would be carried out for all officers and men across all Zones, Commands and at the Headquarters as the Service would no longer tolerate a situation where personnel make sensitive decisions while under the influence of drugs.”
The statement quoted the CGC saying that said the decision stemmed from past incidents in which questionable conduct in some Commands was later traced to drug abuse.
Adeniyi’s words: “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 CGC stressed that the era of ignoring early warning signs of substance abuse within the Service had come to an end, noting that officers entrusted with revenue collection, enforcement duties, and border security must consistently demonstrate sound judgment.
The NCS boss enjoined personnel to prioritise their health through regular medical check-ups, emphasising that both physical and mental fitness are indispensable to effective service delivery.
