Nigeria Customs Service Flags Off 2025 Annual Medical Corps Retreat in Osogbo

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially flagged off its 2025 Annual Medical Corps Retreat in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, with a renewed call to strengthen the operational readiness and health capacity of its medical personnel.

The five-day retreat, themed “The Medical Corps in the Nigeria Customs Service: Past, Present, and Future,” commenced on Monday and has brought together Customs medical professionals from across the country to review past milestones, engage current challenges, and shape the future of healthcare delivery within the Service.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Head of the Medical Unit, Comptroller Ethelbert Nnaji, emphasized the importance of the retreat in aligning the NCS medical corps with contemporary national and global health standards.

A crosssection of participants at the 2025 Annual Medical Corps Retreat in Osogbo.

“This retreat is an opportunity to reflect on what the medical unit has accomplished in the past, assess where we stand today, and determine how we can move forward positively,” Comptroller Nnaji stated.
“We must continue to build capacity and remain dedicated to the health and welfare of our officers and the communities we serve.”

Comptroller Nnaji also recalled key outcomes from the 2023 edition held in Minna, Niger State, noting that significant improvements in service delivery, personnel training, and equipment upgrades have since been recorded.

Group photograph of participants at the 2025 Annual Medical Corps Retreat in Osogbo. The five-day event brings together medical professionals from across Nigeria to reflect, retrain, and reimagine healthcare delivery within the Nigeria Customs Service.

In his welcome address, the Customs Area Comptroller, Oyo/Osun Area Command, Comptroller Onyebuyi Adelaya, expressed deep appreciation to the leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service, particularly the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, for his unwavering commitment to the health and welfare of officers through modernization of the medical unit.

“The Service remains committed to equipping and supporting the medical corps to deliver efficient healthcare services,” he said.
“We appreciate the Comptroller-General’s relentless efforts in transforming the medical unit, and we are confident that this retreat will further strengthen our resolve.”

The opening session featured a lineup of keynote presentations by respected experts. Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr. Awe Seun, delivered a paper titled “The Silent Thief of Sight”, which focused on blindness prevention, early detection of glaucoma, and the importance of regular eye check-ups.

Assistant Comptroller Nafi’u Salihu Abubakar presented a thought-provoking lecture on “The Role of the Medical Unit in the Nigeria Customs Service Laboratory,” exploring the intersection of medical diagnostics, safety compliance, and laboratory efficiency. Meanwhile, Comptroller Hannel Haddison, in a paper titled “Regimentation, Discipline, and Commitment in the Nigeria Customs Service,” emphasized the synergy between medical excellence and the paramilitary ethos of the NCS.

READ ALSO: Customs Command seizes 3,699 parcels of cannabis sativa in Ogun

Throughout the retreat, participants will engage in workshops, medical screenings, and health awareness campaigns aimed at promoting a culture of wellness and fitness among officers. These activities are designed not only to enhance the productivity of the service but also to foster a spirit of care and discipline within the Customs community.

The event stands as a testament to the service’s strategic integration of health, security, and national development, while highlighting the unseen but vital contributions of medical professionals in the nation’s border security architecture.

As the 2025 Medical Corps Retreat continues, the Nigeria Customs Service reaffirms its commitment to the health and operational efficiency of its personnel, laying the foundation for a healthier, more responsive, and future-ready force.