Members of the Nigeria Customs Service Management Team gathered at its Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, on 19 August 2026 to honour the retirement of DCG Tijanni Abe, the Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Human Resource and Development, marking the close of 35 years of meritorious service to the nation.
Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, led the tributes, describing DCG Abe as a man whose career was anchored in faith, calm, and unwavering integrity. He noted that DCG Abe was known throughout the Service for his habit of expressing gratitude. A quality, the CGC said, speaks volumes about the kind of man he is.
“You are a man of integrity and integrity pays. May God increase you in wisdom and happiness, and may your years ahead be even more pleasurable. We are all very proud of you, and we wish you well,” he said, adding that the bonds forged within the Service do not end at retirement.
Senior officers who took the floor painted a consistent picture, describing him as a leader defined not by the authority of his rank but by the warmth of his character. Courage, humility, sacrifice, and kindness surfaced repeatedly as colleagues reflected on their years of service alongside him. For many in the room, DCG Abe was more than a senior officer; he was a mentor whose example quietly shaped the officers around him.
DCG Tijanni Abe responded to the tributes with the same grace that has marked his career. He first thanked the Almighty, then the Comptroller-General, and finally his colleagues on the management team, expressing deep gratitude for their belief in his abilities over three and a half decades of service.