CUSTOMS NOT JOKING; AS 700 OFFICERS INCLUDING 4 ACGs, 38 COMPTROLLERS ARE SLATED FOR RETIREMENT FROM JANUARY 2027
Special promotions are imminent in the Customs Service to confront the challenge that will be posed by the statutory retirement of almost 700 senior and middle level officers in five months’ time, precisely from October this year.
Four Assistant Comptrollers General; (ACGs), 38 full Comptrollers, 81 Deputy Comptrollers and 57 Assistant Comptrollers made the list of prospective retirees, according to a circular entitled ‘Forwarding list of officers/men for statutory retirement in year 2027’
The affected officers in the circular No HRD 2026/020, dated May 2026 and signed by AA Bature, Comptroller, Establishment, in behalf of the Deputy Comptroller General (HRD) said inter alia;
‘I am directed to forward the affected list on the above subject matter as retirement notice to all affected personnel.
In accordance with the Public Service Rule (PSR) No. 100238 and Federal government circular No.63216/S.1/X/T, CR1,/2001/5 of 20/03/2001, all affected officers due for retirement are to disengage from service and proceed on pre-retirement leave three months prior to their effective date of retirement.
In view of the above, all affected personnel are to ensure compliance and forward their three months pre~retirement notice to the Comptroller General of Customs, accordingly’
It advised officers to report and forward to the office of the Deputy Comptroller General, (HRD) any observed error, omission or legitimate complaints arising from the list.
The circular was copied to the office of the Comptroller General of Customs, ACGs/Zonal co-ordinators, Area Controllers, Comptrollers of FOUs and Heads of units.
It is expected that some young Assistant/Deputy Comptrollers will be pushed up the ladder to fill the yawning gap that will be created by the exit of these cream of officers.
At a time, the Service was not able to recruit new officers for more than a decade while promotion was also static in same period under consideration.
Indeed, there is no doubt that most of the good hands are leaving in droves having been caught up with statutory 35 years of service or 60 years of age.
No doubt, some of the new generation officers have learnt fast and can easily take up the gauntlet to take the service to a higher level.