The appointment of an academic, Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC), as the national image maker of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), elicits excitement in the maritime sector
By Innocent Chukwu
After an inexplicable delay and suspense last March which got many watchers of Customs events wondering what was amiss, the Customs’ management under the supervision of Col Hameed Ali (retd) settled for the confirmation of Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada as the substantive National Public Relations Officer (NPRO) for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Maiwada had remained an “acting NPRO” since February 2023 when his immediate predecessor Timi Bomodi was promoted to the rank of Comptroller of Customs and posted out of the department, yet there was no official statement from the customs Comptroller General, Ali declaring CSC Maiwada as the acting spokesperson for the service. However, senior and management officials of the NCS had insisted that there was no vacuum in the Public Relations Department of the NCS since Maiwada was the most senior officer in the department after the exit of Bomodi.
But the declaration of CSC Maiwada as the new NPRO early April 2023 did not only settle a month-long speculation, it elicited jubilation within the NCS and the freight forwarding community in the country. On April 2, 2023, the customs management had through a press statement signed by a Superintendent of Customs, Onuoha, OC on behalf of the CGC declared Maiwada the substantive NPRO.
The statement read, “The Comptroller-General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rted) CFR has approved the appointment of CSC Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada as the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service. He is to take over from Comptroller Timi Bomodi, who has since been redeployed to Kiri-Kiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Area Command as the Customs Area Controller.
CSC Maiwada holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education/Geography and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from Bayero University Kano. He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Mass-Communication from Crescent University Abeokuta.
CSC Maiwada was enlisted into Nigeria Customs Service as Cadet ASC in 2011. He had a stint as the Zonal Public Relations Officer Zone ‘B’ Headquarters Kaduna, Public Relations Officer Ogun Command (now Ogun I & II Area Commands). In 2020 he was deployed to Headquarters and served as the pioneer Liaison Officer of the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network and later deputized the out-gone National Public Relations Officer from January 2022 to February 2023.
To fully embrace the service of Public Relations and the dynamics it offers, CSC Maiwada is an Associate Member of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), and also holds full membership in the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).
He has attended numerous courses relating to Customs Operations, Trade Facilitation, Public Relations, Strategic Communication, and Leadership.
As a consummate and seasoned officer, he is a recipient of the 2020 World Customs Organisation (WCO) meritorious award”.
Since his confirmation, the youthful CSC Maiwada has settled down to discharge his official duties as the customs image maker. Of note is that his appointment also attracted accolades and commendation to the customs management, especially its arrowhead, the CGC Ali for spotting the youthfulness and managerial acumen in CSC Maiwada. Within the customs service and its stakeholders, Maiwada is regarded as a fine officer who possesses all it takes to manage the public image of the service effectively.
According to many watchers of customs events, CSC Maiwada is a complete gentleman who is gifted with natural talents to lead and achieve results wherever he is planted. These readily make reference to the CSC Maiwada’s stint at then Ogun State Command as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) where he deployed his managerial acumen in ensuring peaceful relationship between the host communities and officers of the NCS even under intense confrontations brought about by the activities of die-hard smugglers in those areas.
A Chief Superintendent of Customs, A Usman who is the PRO of the Apapa Area 1 Customs Command, sees Maiwada as a prepared officer who will go far with a smoothness of character in managing the public image of Customs in this dispensation. Usman recognized the talents his new boss in the service possesses which have been refined mainly by the academic attainment of CSC Maiwada as tools that can enhance the overall performance of the NPRO in the years ahead.
In the same vein, the PRO of Ports and Terminals Multi-Services Limited (PTML) Customs Command, MA Yakubu believes that given CSC Maiwada’s youthfulness, gentleness and hard working capabilities, the new NPRO will perform credibly in managing the image of the NCS. Yakubu, also a CSC insisted that Maiwada remains the best hand to manage Nigeria Customs image because he possesses all the needed qualities to achieve the best results.
