Author: Ruth Akata.

The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adeniyi, had on Monday, 27 May 2024, received in audience the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) led by Habu Gumel at the service’s Headquarters in Abuja.

According to Gumel, the meeting with the CGC aimed at portraying opportunities and scholarships for young athletes to showcase their skills and talents.

The CGC, while addressing the delegation from the Nigeria Olympic Committee, recognises the importance and worth of the committee and its role in promoting the Olympic spirit both nationally and internationally. He further acknowledged their contributions to fostering a collaborative and supportive sports community.

Customs Boss emphasised Nigeria Customs Service as an organisation that takes sports very seriously because of the values it instils, particularly self-discipline, saying, “Sports can serve as a powerful tool for promoting discipline and teamwork, essential qualities for success in any organisation, especially in the paramilitary”.

He added that fitness is paramount, not only in sports but also in paramilitary organisations like the NCS. “Being physically fit enhances performance, resilience, and overall health, which are all crucial for carrying out duties effectively. It is not difficult for service members to identify as members of the sports fraternity in different forms”.

“As a responsive organisation, we believe that sports management is about talent management, identifying talents, nurturing them, giving them the right exposure because they do not only represent and win but also bring values to the community that produces them”, he added.

Speaking earlier, the NOC President, Habu Gumel, expressed his gratitude, counted it a great privilege to be part of the delegation and applauded the NCS’s commitment to supporting and collaborating with the international Olympic community to ensure that talents are identified in Nigeria, qualified persons are being prepared, trained and pushed on the global grounds.

The NOC boss said, “The National Olympic Committee for Nigeria is responsible for coordinating and supporting Nigerian competitors in the Olympic Games. It is also the body responsible for Nigeria’s representation at the Commonwealth Games.”

Author: Cynthia Idowu.

The Nigeria Customs Service is not only known for its doggedness in fighting smuggling and generating revenue for the federal government, the service has demonstrated a high level of professionalism in sport at the ongoing 37th Women’s African Volleyball Club in Cairo, Egypt.

The Customs Volleyball Women’s Team defeated its opponent, Saint Denis Olympique, by 3 – 0 to imprint its first win at the ongoing championship on Saturday, 27th of April, 2024.

The team who came out strong displayed the anti-smuggling doggedness with a lead in the first set of the game with a 25 – 21 score, sending shivers down the opponent’s spine.

Coach Pricillia Agera led the team, who displayed good skill and dominance with a nail-biting scoreline of 29-27 to clinge victory and secure a place in the annals of volleyball history.

Coach Priscilla Agera hailed the players for their unwavering commitment and tenacity, recognising the challenges they had overcome to achieve victory on the court.

In her words, “Despite the obstacles we’ve faced, you’ve shown the world what it truly means to be a team. Your resilience, your determination, it’s what sets you apart.”

Agera also commended the unwavering support of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for his steadfast commitment to ensuring the team’s participation in the championship and his instrumentality to their success, providing them with the resources and support they needed to compete at the highest level.

She said, “I appreciate CGC for taking a bold step to allow the team to fly the flag of the nation in this championship.

“I also want to give kudos to the President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod, for his approval in ensuring the team returns, not forgetting the President of Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engineer Habu Gumel, for his relentless support for volleyball”.

Nigeria Customs Service will face Mayo Kane Evolution on Sunday in their third match after losing to Kenya Pipeline in their first game on Friday.

Recall that the basketball team of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) secured a spot among the top three teams at the recently concluded tournament held at the Indoor Hall of the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Abuja.

Author: Folusho Adeogun.

The Board of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation paid a courtesy visit to the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, on January 16, 2024, expressing gratitude for his valuable contributions as an astute Board member.

During the visit, Daniel Igali, President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, congratulated the CGC on his appointment and conveyed the federation’s appreciation for his active role as a board member.

The President also expressed the Wrestling Federation’s gratitude to the CGC for his long-standing association with the board since his tenure as the Commandant Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada.

The CGC, in response, thanked the Wrestling Federation for the honor and appreciation. He reminisced about his longstanding involvement with the board and assured the Federation of the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to promoting activities related to wrestling and other sports within the service.

The CGC pledged to sustain ongoing support to the board, emphasizing that this commitment stems from his role as a representative of the service as well as a member of the Wrestling board. He highlighted Customs’ readiness to expose officers to training and sporting activities, fostering collaboration with the Wrestling Federation through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of the Service.

The visit underscored the collaborative spirit between the Nigeria Customs Service and sports federations, reflecting a shared commitment to sports development in the country.