All in-coming officers and men, including fresh recruits of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), will mandatorily undergo compulsory drug test to ensure their eligibility for service.
Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Friday, 21 November 2025, disclosed this at the just conluded this year’s Controller General of Customs annual conference which held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
He said 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.
According to him, the new directive is primarily focused on the fresh intakes and recruits for now, while serving officers will also be captured as the Service moves towards establishing what he described as ‘a fully drug-free institution’.
He 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.
CGC Adeniyi explained that the decision was informed by experiences where erratic behavior or poor decision-making in some Commands was later linked to the influence of substance abuse.
He said, ‘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 in rehabilitating personnel’.
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.
He also reminded officers to prioritise their personal health and undergo regular medical checks, stating that physical and mental fitness remain essential to effective service delivery.
