Barely three weeks after it was officially displayed in Abuja by the Comptroller General of Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde, the new camouflage uniform of the Nigeria Customs Service was yesterday launched at its Zonal Headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, even as senior officers of the service commended Dikko for the uniform, saying that this will give the service a face-lift.
Barely three weeks after it was officially displayed in Abuja by the Comptroller General of Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde, the new camouflage uniform of the Nigeria Customs Service was yesterday launched at its Zonal Headquarters in Yaba, Lagos, even as senior officers of the service commended Dikko for the uniform, saying that this will give the service a face-lift.
Zonal Cordinator of Zone 'A' Customs, Assistant Comptroller General, Osita Gbemudu who launched the uniform alongside the Area Controllers under the western zone said that this will further boost the morale of the officers.
Gbemudu said that the exercise was to sensitize members of the public about the new look of the service, so that they don't see the officers on the uniform as fake officers.
He said that, "the management is coming with this to make people aware, already the Comptroller General wore this uniform with his management staff two weeks ago, we are just trying to replicate what they did in Abuja here in the western zone"
"This is supposed to be a morale booster if you ask me"
Gbemudu assured that with time, the uniform will go round all the officers at each commands, but for now it is worn by the Controllers and their security orderlies.
Speaking at the event, the Area Controller of PTML Command, Adegoke Folorunsho said that the new uniform will further encourage the officers to put in their best and that it will further improve the output of the service.
Also speaking, the Apapa Area 1 Controller, Charles Edike described the uniform as a morale booster, adding that with this, the service has sent out a warning to smugglers.
"You can see our moral is high now, you are aware that the CGC had launched this camouflage uniform in Abuja and today it is being launched in zone ‘A’, to us it is a morale booster, that is why today we are looking fine strong and smart"
"This is a message to smugglers that the service is battle ready and officers have been re-energized, their moral has been boosted, and of course the smugglers and the anti-government policies that has to do with customs will now take note that we are not playing" Edike said.
On his part, the Ogun command Controller, Haruna Mamoud said that the uniform is not just an added dress in the wardrobe of the officers, but that it is a combat dress.
"For those of us in the borders when you see us in combat uniform, you know that we are out for business, it is a morale booster", he also said.
Mamoud described the move as an added responsibility because Customs as a paramilitary organization has just been given a sense of belonging to the environment it belongs.
Similarly, the Controller of KLT Command; Ngozi Enwereonzo, said that, "something good has happened to us once again and it has re-engineered the Nigeria Customs Service, it is a new image and a new zeal to put in our best"
The Controller of the anti-smuggling arm of the zone, FOU Zone 'A', Usman Adamu Turaki equally appreciated the Customs boss for the gesture.
"We cannot say thank you enough, we have been praying for it, he promised and he has delivered, it’s now our turn to thank him for the innovation and we won't let him down" he promised.
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