The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the Service has concluded arrangements to subject all prospective officers to a mandatory drug test as part of the ongoing recruitment exercise.
According to a statement by the Service on Tuesday, CGC Adeniyi disclosed this during the closing session of the recent CGC’s 2025 Conference in Abuja.
Adeniyi said the measure was designed to ensure that no recruit enters the Service with substance-abuse tendencies that could compromise judgment, security responsibilities, or operational integrity.
He stressed that the new directive was aimed primarily at the fresh intakes, adding that serving officers will also be captured as the Service moves towards establishing “a fully drug-free institution.”
The Customs CG said a mandatory drug test would be carried out for all officers and men across all Zones, Commands and at the Headquarters, noting that the Service would no longer tolerate a situation where personnel make sensitive decisions while under the influence of drugs.
Adeniyi explained that the decision was informed by experiences where erratic behaviour or poor decision-making in some Commands was later linked to substance misuse.
“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,” Adeniyi said.
He warned that the era of overlooking early signs of substance abuse in the ranks was over, stressing that officers assigned to revenue collection, enforcement and border security must possess sound judgment at all times.