There were mixed emotions on Friday as the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Strategic Research and Policy, DCG Dera Nnadi, mni, formally bowed out of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) after nearly 35 years of distinguished service, urging officers to protect the integrity of the uniform and remember that “reputation travels faster than cargo”.
The colourful ceremonial pulling-out parade held at the Service’s Training and Doctrine Command in Gwagwalada, Abuja, drew senior officers, colleagues, family members and stakeholders from the military, police and other paramilitary services who gathered to celebrate the retiring Customs chief.
The atmosphere was festive as tributes, applause and smiles filled the parade ground while DCG Nnadi was ceremonially pulled out by a distinguished delegation that included five serving Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs. The retiring officer acknowledged the cheers and goodwill from colleagues who turned out in large numbers to honour his decades of service to the nation.
However, the celebratory mood later turned emotional during a thanksgiving service organised by the Nigeria Customs Christian Fellowship (NCCF), where Nnadi reflected on his long journey in the Service, a moment that moved him to tears.
Addressing the gathering, the retiring DCG described the Nigeria Customs Service as far more than a workplace, saying the institution had profoundly shaped his life and career.
“Today, I stand here with nostalgic memories as I draw the curtain on nearly 35 years of service in the Nigeria Customs Service”, he said.
“Nostalgic in the sense that I started this about 34 years ago at the Customs Training College (CTC) Ikeja and I am concluding the experience at the Service’s apex training institution in a ceremony as grandiose as the beginning. It can only be God and I give Him all the glory”.
Recounting his early days in the Service, Nnadi said he joined as a young officer driven by the simple dream of wearing the Customs uniform but with little knowledge of the long and demanding journey ahead.
“When I enlisted into this noble Service over three decades ago, I was a young officer with one dream — to wear the uniform but I had very little understanding of the journey ahead”, he said.
“If someone had told me then that Customs would become not just my career but my second home and indeed my first wife whom I am separating from today — not divorce please — I may not have fully understood”.
Reflecting on his career, he said the Service gave him far more than a profession.
“Today, I can say with certainty — this uniform and indeed the Nigeria Customs Service shaped my life”, he said.
“The Service has given me more than a profession. It gave me discipline. It gave me purpose. It gave me lifelong friendships. It gave me moments of pride when we facilitated legitimate trade, strengthened revenue for our nation and protected our borders against economic sabotage”.
The retiring DCG also highlighted the transformation the Service had undergone during his decades of service, particularly the shift from manual operations to more advanced, technology-driven processes.
“Over the years, I have seen transformation — from manual documentation to automation, from traditional enforcement methods to intelligence-driven operations”, he said.
“Along with colleagues we faced cross-border challenges, sleepless nights, policy shifts and public scrutiny. Yet through it all, one thing remained constant — my oath to serve Nigeria with integrity. Indeed, I did not just serve with integrity, I recruited members who shared this ideal”.
While acknowledging the achievements recorded during his career, Nnadi admitted the journey also came with significant pressures and challenges.
“It was not all uhuru. There were difficult days — days when the pressure was intense and the expectations even higher”, he said.
“But there were also days of triumph, laughter in office corridors and quiet satisfaction knowing we had upheld the mandate of the Service”.
He reserved special appreciation for his family members who supported him throughout the demanding years of public service.
“Beyond this uniform, there is another group of people who made this journey possible — my family”, he said.
“To my spouse, my children and my loved ones, thank you for the sacrifices you made silently.
“Thank you for the missed birthdays, the interrupted holidays, the late nights and the times I had to choose duty over comfort.
“You carried the weight of my absence so I could carry out my responsibility to the nation. This achievement belongs to you as much as it does to me”.
Nnadi also acknowledged the role played by individuals and families who supported his journey, including the family of Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa and the Maina Bukar family of Yobe State.
He paid glowing tribute to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and other senior officers and mentors who contributed to his career development.
“To the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr Bashir Gabriel Adeniyi, PhD, MFR, psc+, I have no doubt that you are proud of your Dera”, he said. I am also glad that I did not let you down”.
The retiring DCG further expressed appreciation to colleagues, stakeholders and members of the media for their cooperation and support over the years.
“To my mentors, colleagues both senior and junior officers alike — thank you for the trust, the teamwork and the shared commitment to excellence”, he said.
“And to the NCS stakeholders and particularly my media friends, I doff my hat. Whatever I achieved was never a solo effort. It was the product of collaboration, mentorship and collective dedication”.
Looking ahead, Nnadi expressed confidence in the future of the Nigeria Customs Service and urged younger officers to uphold the values of integrity and professionalism.
“To the younger officers: protect the integrity of this uniform. Improve the systems. Embrace capacity building and evolve with technology”, he said.
“But above all, guard your character — because reputation travels faster than any cargo”.
He also encouraged senior officers to prioritise mentorship and advised stakeholders to embrace voluntary compliance in their dealings with Customs.
Though retiring from active service, Nnadi said he would continue to serve as an ambassador of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“I am retiring with gratitude to friends and colleagues who have shown me so much goodwill”, he said.
“Indeed, if goodwill is cash, I am retiring a billionaire”.
“May God bless the Nigeria Customs Service. May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.