Arewa Youth Group Urges Tinubu to Prevent Leadership Vacuum in Nigeria Customs Service

From.Paul Orude Bauchi 

The Arewa Youths Advocate for Good Governance (AYAGG) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take strategic steps to prevent an impending leadership vacuum in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS.

The group warned that the planned retirement of several senior management officers could affect the agency’s operational efficiency and ongoing reforms.

Speaking during a press conference on Friday, the National Coordinator of AYAGG, Comrade Adamu Muhammad Abdullahi, described the issue as one of national importance that extends beyond appointments and personalities.

Muhammad stressed that it concerns the continuity of one of Nigeria’s most strategic institutions.

According to him, the group has closely monitored developments within the Customs Service and is concerned about the imminent retirement of a significant number of senior officers within the same period.

“Our concern is informed by facts, not sentiment,” Abdullahi said.

He noted that with Nigeria implementing far-reaching economic reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, institutions responsible for revenue generation, trade facilitation and border management require stability, policy continuity and experienced leadership.

The AYAGG coordinator observed that the Nigeria Customs Service has emerged as one of the Federal Government’s strongest revenue-generating agencies while playing a vital role in combating smuggling, securing the nation’s borders, facilitating legitimate trade and supporting national security operations.

He warned that the simultaneous exit of experienced management officers without a carefully planned transition could create avoidable leadership gaps, weaken institutional memory, slow ongoing modernization programmes and reduce operational efficiency.

“This is not merely an administrative issue, it is a national economic concern,” he stated.

Abdullahi appealed to President Tinubu to consider what he described as a strategic and lawful intervention aimed at preserving stability within the Service while sustaining the gains recorded in recent years.

He suggested measures such as a phased leadership transition, retention of critical institutional expertise where legally permissible, and succession planning guided by national interest rather than administrative timelines alone.

“We are not advocating for individuals. We are advocating for institutional continuity,” he said.

The group further urged the Presidency, the National Security establishment, the Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the implications of a mass leadership transition within the Nigeria Customs Service before final decisions are taken.

AYAGG maintained that consistent leadership and policy implementation remain essential for sustaining customs modernization, revenue expansion, digital transformation and effective border security management.

While commending President Tinubu’s commitment to institutional reforms, the group expressed confidence that his administration would continue to prioritize decisions that strengthen Nigeria’s economic architecture and security framework.

It also pledged its support for initiatives aimed at preserving the professionalism, operational efficiency and strategic capacity of the Nigeria Customs Service in the overall interest of the country.