Nigeria Customs Service Honours DCG Dera Nnadi, ACG Kingsley Egwu at Ceremonial Pulling-Out Parade
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Friday honoured two of its distinguished senior officers, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs Dera Nnadi and Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Kingsley Egwu, with a ceremonial Pulling-Out Parade marking the end of their long and meritorious careers in public service.
The colourful ceremony, held at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College in Gwagwalada, brought together members of the Customs management team, senior officers, colleagues, friends and family members who gathered to celebrate the retirees’ decades of commitment to national service.
Speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the ceremony provided an opportunity for the Service to formally recognise the professionalism, dedication and institutional contributions of the retiring officers.
Represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Training and Doctrine Command, Sulaiman Chiroma, the Customs boss noted that careers in the Service are defined not merely by the ranks officers attain, but by the values they uphold and the impact they leave on the institution.
“This parade is not only a ceremonial farewell. It is also an opportunity for the Nigeria Customs Service to express appreciation for the professionalism, discipline and dedication that these officers demonstrated throughout their years in service,” he stated.
Adeniyi described DCG Nnadi as a seasoned and accomplished officer who served in several strategic commands across the country, particularly in areas where the responsibilities of revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security intersect.
According to him, Nnadi’s career was characterised by a strong sense of duty and professionalism, as well as a commitment to strengthening the institutional framework of the Service.
He noted that the retiring deputy comptroller-general also made valuable contributions to policy discussions aimed at modernising Customs operations and supporting Nigeria’s participation in continental trade initiatives.
“He brought intellectual depth to strategic conversations within the Service and also played an important mentoring role for younger officers,” Adeniyi said.
The Customs chief also paid glowing tribute to ACG Egwu, commending him for his contributions to administrative reforms that strengthened the Service’s operational efficiency.
Adeniyi highlighted Egwu’s role in advancing the adoption of technology in Customs operations, noting that his work helped lay the groundwork for several automated systems currently supporting transparency and efficiency within the organisation. “His contributions helped lay the foundation for several automated systems that are now supporting the Service’s operations,” he said.
The Comptroller-General further recalled Egwu’s tenure as the 10th Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, where he was credited with strengthening training standards and emphasising discipline, professional knowledge and ethical conduct among officers undergoing advanced training.
According to Adeniyi, Egwu’s leadership at the College contributed significantly to shaping the professional outlook of many Customs officers currently serving in various strategic commands across the country.
In his response, DCG Nnadi expressed deep gratitude to God and the Nigeria Customs Service for the opportunity to serve the nation for several decades.
“My journey in the Service has been defined by dedication, learning and commitment to the institutional mandate of revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security,” he said.
Nnadi emphasised that the achievements recorded during his career were not personal accomplishments but the result of teamwork and shared professional values among officers of the Service.
“The successes we recorded were possible because of the collective effort of officers who remained committed to the ideals of the Service,” he added.
He urged serving officers to remain disciplined and adaptable in the face of evolving global trade dynamics, stressing that Customs administrations must continually strengthen their operational capacity and policy frameworks.
“The evolving trade environment demands innovation, modernisation and stronger institutional capacity,” he said.
Also speaking, ACG Egwu described his more than three decades of service in the Nigeria Customs Service as both demanding and fulfilling. “My career in the Nigeria Customs Service has been a journey of learning, growth and collaboration with dedicated colleagues,” he noted.
Egwu also paid tribute to officers who lost their lives while performing their duties, describing them as heroes whose sacrifices contributed immensely to national security.
He encouraged serving officers to guard their integrity and remain faithful to the responsibilities entrusted to them as public servants. “Public service is a privilege that must be carried with honour. Leadership positions are temporary, but the reputation you build through integrity will always endure,” he said.
The retiring assistant comptroller-general also expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs for the trust placed in him through various key assignments, including his tenure as Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College and his subsequent role in the Service’s Tariff and Trade Department.
The ceremony concluded with tributes from colleagues, ceremonial honours and the presentation of tokens to celebrate the retiring officers’ distinguished years of service and their lasting contributions to the Nigeria Customs Service and the nation.
