Customs Zone A Hosts Inter-Command Sports Competition, Seeks National Expansion

 Customs Zone A Hosts Inter-Command Sports Competition, Seeks National Expansion

By Oluwaseun Adeola Oluwole

LAGOS — The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone A, has hosted its inter-command sports competition in Lagos, with senior officers calling for the expansion of the initiative to other zones to promote workforce wellness, strengthen unity and identify sporting talents within the service.

The competition, which featured football and other sporting activities, brought together officers from various commands and units under Zone A. The closing ceremony was attended by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, and other senior officers.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Chairman of the Sports Committee, Comptroller Chidi, who represented the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, described the competition as the realisation of an initiative aimed at improving the physical and mental well-being of customs officers.

He expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General for approving and attending the event, and commended the Assistant Comptroller-General, Zone A Coordinator, ACG Babande, for his advocacy and support in facilitating the project.

He also thanked area controllers, unit members and command officials for their participation and contributions to the success of the competition.

According to him, the initiative was designed not only to promote physical fitness but also to foster friendship, bonding and work-life balance among officers.

He said healthy and motivated personnel were essential to the effective implementation of sophisticated operational strategies and the service's modernisation efforts.

Call for national expansion

Chidi urged the Comptroller-General to adopt the inter-command sports competition across all zones of the Nigeria Customs Service.

He proposed that existing sporting facilities in other zones should be utilised, while new facilities could be developed gradually where necessary.

He said the long-term vision was for commands to compete within their respective zones before advancing to a national inter-zonal competition.

He added that such a platform would provide an opportunity to identify talented athletes within the service who might otherwise remain undiscovered.

While acknowledging that the inaugural event had room for improvement, he assured participants that future editions would be better organised.

He emphasised that the greatest victory of the games was not the trophies or medals, but the stronger bonds and unity built among officers under one uniform.

“Healthy and motivated officers are essential for executing sophisticated operational strategies and modernisation efforts,” he said.

Adeniyi commends organisers, seeks better sporting facilities

In his remarks, Adeniyi congratulated the zonal coordinator and the chairman of the organising committee for the successful event.

He commended the level of participation and the attention the competition attracted in Lagos, noting that the event demonstrated the three pillars of his administration's programme: consolidation, collaboration and innovation.

The Comptroller-General also acknowledged the contributions of sister agencies, including the Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, to national security.

He praised the preparations and aesthetic improvements at the training college, as well as the parade displays and creative presentations by various commands, including PTML, Western Marine and the 93 Phase Zone.

Adeniyi, however, clarified that the games were not entirely new to the service, but formed part of a long-standing tradition of zonal sporting competitions.

He said the next objective was to expand the initiative into an inter-zonal competition involving all zones of the service.

The Comptroller-General also highlighted the need for improved sporting infrastructure, noting that the existing facilities at the training college were outdated.

He said plans were underway to provide a befitting sports facility at the new location of the training college in Iperu, Ogun State.

Adeniyi recalled the Customs Service's strong history in sports, including its championship achievements in volleyball and basketball.

Sports lessons for professional duties

The Comptroller-General urged officers to apply the lessons of discipline, teamwork and strategy learned from the games to their professional responsibilities.

He said the same principles required to win a football match were relevant to patrol operations, revenue generation and other duties of the service.

He encouraged officers to remain their brothers' keepers and work together in the spirit of teamwork.

He congratulated the winners and urged those who lost to learn from the competition and prepare for future editions.

The closing ceremony also featured the introduction of the final football match between Murtala Muhammed International Airport/Lagos Industrial Command and Zonal Office/Customs Training College.

The finalists were called forward to line up on the field, while the Comptroller-General and other officials were invited to participate in the proceedings.

The organisers described the participants as pioneers of a new tradition, expressing the hope that the competition would grow into a significant part of the Nigeria Customs Service's institutional history.