The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone B, Kaduna, has held a valedictory session to honour its retiring Zonal Coordinator, ACG Nsikan Umoh, and five other senior officers.
The event celebrated the officers’ 35 years of dedicated service, professionalism and contributions to the development of the Nigeria Customs Service and nation.
Comptroller Mahmud Matawalle , Chairman of the Organising Committee, described the occasion as a celebration of dedication, sacrifice, professionalism and selfless service.
Matawalle said the retirees had left legacies that would continue to inspire serving officers and contribute to the growth of the service.
He appreciated the Zonal Coordinator for her exemplary leadership and support, while thanking partner agencies, officers, families and other guests for attending the event.
In her remarks, Umoh expressed gratitude to God for allowing her to retire in good health after a long and fulfilling career in the service.
She said the gathering demonstrated the importance of human relationships, noting that the people she worked with constituted her greatest wealth.
Umoh appreciated officers, partner agencies and other stakeholders for their support, cooperation and kind words during her tenure in Zone B.
She said their feedback had enabled her to reflect on her strengths and weaknesses while seeking opportunities for improvement.
The retiring coordinator said her posting to Zone B about a year ago was challenging because she had limited experience in enforcement.
She, however, attributed her success to teamwork, guidance from experienced officers and the support she received from colleagues.
Umoh described the Zone B terrain as challenging for women but expressed satisfaction that she was able to perform effectively with the support of her team.
She said retirement was not an end but a transition to another phase of life, assuring serving officers that she would remain available for mentorship and capacity development.
“I will be leaving, thank God it is not in death. It is moving to the next level of achievement,” she said.
Umoh urged younger officers to remain committed, determined and ready to seek guidance from experienced retirees whenever necessary.
She also encouraged officers to maintain relationships with partner agencies, stressing that collaboration remained essential to effective service delivery.
She said her retirement would not end her relationship with the Customs Service, adding that “once a Customs officer, always a Customs officer.”
In his remarks, Comptroller Ofonime Ido expressed gratitude to God for allowing him to serve Nigeria for 35 years and retire in good health.
Ido said he encountered several challenges during his career but remained grateful to God for protecting and guiding him throughout his service.
He thanked the Comptroller-General of Customs, serving officers, colleagues and his family for their support throughout his career.
He urged serving officers to keep the flag flying by upholding dignity, discipline and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
Another retiring Comptroller, Aliyu Idako urged serving officers to embrace the ongoing transformation in the NCS and acquire knowledge across different areas of Customs operations.
He advised officers not to restrict themselves to particular areas such as enforcement, revenue or tariff, but become versatile in their responsibilities.
He also urged officers to deepen collaboration with other government agencies, saying inter agency cooperation had contributed significantly to effective Customs operations.
The retiring officer said no government agency should regard itself as superior, stressing that every agency had a statutory role to play in national development.
He encouraged Customs officers to maintain cordial relationships with stakeholders involved in cargo clearance, revenue collection, trade facilitation and anti-smuggling operations.
Another celebrant, the outgoing Comptroller of the Federal Capital Territory Command, Victoria Aliboh thanked the Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, for giving her the opportunity to contribute to nation building.
She said her 35 years in Customs had enabled her to contribute to national development through revenue collection, enforcement and trade facilitation.
She advised fellow retirees to use retirement as an opportunity to rest, remain active and explore other meaningful engagements.
In a goodwill message, Controller Sa’ad Hassan, Area Comptroller, Kaduna Area Command, described the retirement as both a joyful and emotional moment.
Hassan said the retirees would be greatly missed, adding that the relationships built during their years of service would continue beyond retirement.
He wished the retirees success and a safe journey into the next phase of their lives.
The retirees included Idako Aliyu, Comptroller, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command; Ofonime Sunday Ido; and Controller Innocent Anavhe, Enforcement Zone B.
Others are Mohammed Sani Umar, Area Comptroller, Niger/Kogi Area Command; Victor Chinwe Aliboh, Comptroller, FCT Command; and Oninime Sunday Ido.
The event featured goodwill messages, presentations and recognition of the retirees for their years of service to the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
