FoU Zone “C”: Nigeria Customs Service, Stakeholders Celebrate ACG Chibuoke, Comptroller Balogun, Others On Retirement

The Federal Operations Unit (FoU)
Zone “C” of the Nigeria Customs Service, has celebrated the successful retirement of some of its senior officers within the Zone.

The retirement event took place at the Zonal Headquarters of the FoU Zone ‘C’ in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Thursday, 15th October, 2026.

The program was organised the Nigeria Customs Service in honour of their distinguished Zonal Coordinator, and 5 Comptrollers in the Zone, who served the Nigeria Customs Service effectively and meritoriously in their various capabilities.

The retirees in whose honour the event was carried out include: ACG Pashal Chibuoke, the Zonal Coordinator; Comptroller Bishir Abdullahi Balogun, FoU Zone “C” Owerri; Comptroller Blessing Iheanacho, Imo/Abia Command; Comptroller J. Kanu Edo/Delta Command; Comptroller OM Omisore, PCA Zone “C” Owerri and Comptroller FA Bodunde, Enugu/Anambra Command.

In her welcome address, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, Customs Area Controller of PortHarcourt Area 1 Command, expressed her joy on the turn out of officers and stakeholders at the event, while appreciating the immense contributions made by retirees to the Nigeria Customs Service and the nation in general.

In her words: “I sincerely appreciate our distinguished guests, sister agencies, stakeholders and well wishers, who have taken time out of their busy schedule to honour this invitation. Your presence and continued support, like the cordial relationship and mutual respect today is more than a Send-forth.

“We celebrate distinguished careers, recognize valuable contributions and appreciate men and women who dedicated significant years of their lives to the service of our nation.”

She lauded ACG Paschal Chibuoke, who according to her, made an invaluable contribution to the Zone and equally extolled other Comptrollers for their selfless services to the Nigeria Customs Service and the nation at large.

“We particularly celebrate ACG Pascal Chibuoke retired, for his contribution to Nigeria Customs Service, especially during his tenure as Zonal Coordinator of Zone “C.” His leadership was of experience, a sense of responsibility and commitment to duty, made his time in Zone “C” a significant part of his service career.

“His ability to provide direction, engage colleagues and work with stakeholders remains part of the experience and knowledge he leaves behind.

“We also honour the other retired Comptrollers, who served in Zone “C.” Their initial contributions, leadership, discipline and commitment to the responsibility entrusted to them have helped sustain the work of the service.

“Today we acknowledge their sacrifice and celebrate the legacy we have established. To our esteemed retirees, you have completed your years of active service. Your contributions and the memories of your service will continue to speak for you. You have earned the opportunity to enjoy the next chapter of your lives with pride and fulfillment,” Comptroller Salamatu stated.

The Chief celebrant, ACG Pascal Chibuoke ably represented by CSC Rica Obadiah in his valedictory speech thanked Almighty God for protecting him during his years in the service.

He also expressed gratitude to the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR and his professional colleagues for their co-operations in achieving the core mandate of the Service and the stakeholders for their co-operations in facilitating trade.

In his words: “Today, I stand before you with a heart full of gratitude to Almighty God for the grace, strength, and wisdom to serve our great nation through the Nigeria Customs Service.

“My journey in the Service has been a memorable one, filled with challenges, lessons, achievements, and valuable relationships. I sincerely appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR dsm fnipr psc (+), his management team, my colleagues, and all officers and men for their support, cooperation, and encouragement throughout my career and the opportunity to serve.

“As I bow out of active service, I do so with pride and satisfaction, trusting that the officers coming behind us will continue to uphold the values of discipline, integrity, professionalism, and dedication to duty,” he explained.

In her goodwill message, Comptroller Grace Edebeatu described the Sent- forth event as a celebration of professionalism, dedication and selfless services to the nation.

According to her: “Today is more than a farewell; it is a celebration of lives devoted to duty, a tribute to excellence, and an honour bestowed upon legacies that time cannot erase.

“On behalf of the officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone “C,” I warmly congratulate our distinguished celebrants on the successful completion of their remarkable careers defined by discipline, sacrifice, professionalism, leadership and unwavering commitment to our nation.

“To our lead celebrant, ACG Pascal Chibuoke (rtd), and our distinguished Comptrollers,
your years of service have gone beyond the enforcement of Customs laws and the protection of our nation’s borders.

“You have helped shape institutions, mentored officers, strengthened professional relationships and demonstrated that true leadership is measured not merely by the offices we occupy, but by the positive impact we leave behind.

“As you retire from active service, we are reminded that retirement is not the end of relevance; it is the beginning of a new chapter in which experience becomes wisdom, achievements become inspiration, and legacy becomes a guiding light for the next generation.”

“To our serving officers, may the distinguished careers we celebrate today remind us that we are all writing a story through our service, a story that future generations will one day read through the legacy we leave behind.

“Distinguished celebrants, you may be retiring from the uniform of active service, but you will never retire from the honour of having served your nation. Your footprints remain on the sands of our institutional history, and your legacy will continue to inspire excellence, integrity and dedication,” Comptr. Edebeatu concluded.

While proposing the toast at the event, Acting Deputy Comptroller Nkeiru Nwala of Calabar Customs Area Command, described the toasting moment as both humbling and emotional.

She opined that the retirement of ACG Paschal Chibuoke as the Zonal Coordinator, FoU Zone “C” Headquarters, PortHarcourt, Comptroller Bishir Abdullahi Balogun, Controller FoU Zone”C” Owerri and 3 other women Comptrollers as a moment to celebrate resilience, hard work and sacrifice.

Comptr. Nwala further stated that “the retirees are not just men and women who are retiring, but fathers and mothers who are mentors, pathfinders and pillars upon which many of us lean upon for service. The Nigeria Customs Service leans upon them for excellence.”

She lauded the retirees for towing the right part and making the right and difficult decisions to get to where they are today, adding that they sacrificed all they could sacrifice, not just for the Nigeria Customs Service, but for the country, Nigeria.

In her closing remarks, Deputy Comptroller Chinwe Onyeso, expressed delight in the success of the event, adding that the retirees while beginning a new phase of life, to always be good ambassadors of the Nigeria Customs Service wherever they may be.

DC Onyeso in the meantime, appreciated officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service and critical stakeholders for making out time to be part of the event.

The official retirement event was attended by the Nigeria Police Force, other government agencies, critical stakeholders and captains of industries, among others.

High points of the event include: presentation of awards to ACG Paschal Chibuoke, represented by CSC Rica Obadiah and Comptroller Bishir Abdullahi Balogun, ably represented by AC MA Haruna, among other retirees.

Recall that all the retired officers were enrolled in the Nigeria Customs Service in the year, 1991.