The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is expanding its approach to community security in Lagos, combining enforcement with social investment through new sports and education initiatives.
At the Western Marine Command, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, inaugurated the Wale Adeniyi Sports Arena as part of the Service’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.
The facility is designed to promote physical fitness among officers while also providing a constructive outlet for youths in host communities.
Adeniyi described the sports arena as an investment in resilience, discipline and overall well-being, noting that operational effectiveness depends not only on professional competence but also on mental and physical fitness.
He encouraged officers from neighbouring commands to maximise the facility.The project also reflects improving relations between Customs and its host communities.
What was once marked by tension has evolved into cooperation, with sports serving as a platform for engagement and trust-building.Western Marine Controller, Comptroller PN Ntadi, said the initiative underscores the importance of prevention through youth engagement.
According to him, sports promote discipline, teamwork and respect for rules—values that align with the Service’s mandate.Beyond sports development, the NCS has also invested in education. In Ibeshe, Ikorodu, the Service renovated the 104-year-old Methodist Primary School under the CSR initiative of the Lilypond Export Command.
Originally conceived as a refurbishment of a single dilapidated classroom, the intervention expanded into a broader upgrade of the school’s infrastructure. Inaugurating the project, the Comptroller-General described education as central to national development and assured stakeholders that completed projects would be monitored to ensure sustainability.
For residents, teachers and pupils, the projects signal a broader role for Customs beyond revenue collection and border security—demonstrating a commitment to community development and long-term social impact.
Reporting by Fabian Anawo