The newly appointed Provost of the Nigerian Army College of Education (NACOE), Ilorin, Brigadier General E.C. Echebiwe, on Wednesday called for deeper collaboration between the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Customs Service during a courtesy visit to the Kwara Area Command in Ilorin.
The visit was aimed at strengthening institutional relationships and familiarising the Provost with key stakeholders in the state, following his recent appointment.
Echebiwe, while speaking at the Command Headquarters, appreciated the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller F.M. Ojeifo, for making time to receive him. He highlighted the recent upgrade of the institution from a training school to a full-fledged college, now known as NACOE, which offers academic programmes designed for military and paramilitary personnel.
“The College now runs a degree programme in affiliation with Tai Solarin University of Education, as well as NCE programmes through our Schools of Arts and Social Sciences and Vocational and Technical Education,” the Provost explained. “We are eager to welcome Customs officers who wish to further their education, and we are committed to providing them with the support they need.”
He further stressed the importance of inter-agency synergy, especially in areas that promote personnel development and national service.
Responding, Comptroller Ojeifo lauded the Nigerian Army’s investment in education and described the move to open up academic opportunities to personnel of other security agencies as commendable.
“The Customs Service in Kwara is proud of its cordial relationship with the Nigerian Army here in Ilorin,” he said. “We welcome initiatives that will broaden the capacity of our officers, and we believe that this educational collaboration will produce long-term benefits for both services and the nation.”
The Customs boss however assured the Provost of the Command’s willingness to partner on initiatives that foster inter-agency cooperation and professional development.
