The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is reportedly planning a retreat for its Public Relations Officers (PROs), a move that is believed to have been initiated by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

Sources close to the NCS management indicate that the proposal, conceived within CGC Adeniyi’s office, has received a favorable response from the customs chief himself. Despite attempts to confirm the details with Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) Headquarters, ACG Ajogun, there has been no response to calls or text messages as of this publication.

CGC Adeniyi, the first NCS head with a rich background in public relations, is seen as a driving force behind this initiative. Notable former customs PROs who have advanced within the service include ACG Shina Odumbaku (Rtd), Comptroller UK Bello (current Emir Kankawan), Comptroller Joseph Attah (Rtd), and Comptroller Victor Dimka (Rtd).

The current administration under Adeniyi, himself a public relations expert, is supported by several officers with similar backgrounds. These include Comptroller Dera Nnadi (CAC Tin Can), Comptroller Timi Bomodi (CAC Seme), Comptroller Babatunde Olomu (CAC Apapa), and Comptroller Musa Omale (immediate past CAC Sokoto/Zamfara Command). Other notable PROs include Deputy Comptroller Steve Okonma, Chief Superintendent of Customs Uche Ejesieme, Assistant Comptroller Nkiru Nwala, and Assistant Comptroller Ephraim Haruna.

While specific dates for the planned retreat have not been disclosed, sources suggest that discussions are ongoing and the event could take place before or around October this year. If realized, the retreat is expected to enhance the effectiveness of the public relations unit by providing PROs with updated skill sets and professional training.

Such an initiative would mark a significant milestone under Adeniyi’s leadership, highlighting his expertise in public relations and his commitment to improving the NCS’s public image. Although the previous administration approved regular special training and retreats for the service’s image makers, the current plans are not yet confirmed by the public relations department at the NCS headquarters in Abuja.