The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has announced that all incoming recruits—and subsequently all serving personnel—will undergo mandatory drug testing as part of the Service’s renewed drive to strengthen discipline, security, and operational integrity.
Adeniyi made this known on Friday, 21 November 2025, during the closing session of the CGC’s 2025 Conference in Abuja. He said the new measure is intended to prevent individuals with substance-abuse tendencies from entering the Service and to ensure that officers entrusted with sensitive duties maintain sound judgment at all times.
According to the CGC, while the directive will take immediate effect for new recruits, serving officers across all Zones, Commands, and Headquarters will also be subjected to the compulsory screening as the NCS works towards becoming what he described as “a fully drug-free institution.”
Adeniyi noted that the decision followed incidents in which erratic behaviour and poor judgment in some Commands were later traced to substance misuse. He stressed that the Service would no longer expend resources rehabilitating personnel whose drug habits could have been detected early.
“There will be no compromise. We are going to ensure that every new officer is tested so that we do not begin to spend Service resources rehabilitating personnel,” he said.
The CGC warned that overlooking early signs of substance abuse was no longer an option, especially for officers involved in revenue collection, enforcement duties, and border security operations.
He further urged personnel to prioritise their physical and mental health through regular medical checks, emphasising that fitness remains critical to effective service delivery.
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