The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the appointment of Comptroller Blessing Ihenacho as the new Customs Area Controller of the Imo/Abia Area Command, succeeding Comptroller Friday Akpan, who retired from service after a career spanning decades.

The formal handover took place on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at the Command’s headquarters in Owerri, where officers and senior staff gathered to witness the transition. Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs Nnamdi Aligwekwe, introduced Ihenacho as the 26th Area Controller of the Command.

In his farewell address, Akpan thanked officers for their loyalty and support during his tenure, urging them to extend the same commitment to his successor. He said he was leaving the Service “fulfilled and in good health,” and expressed confidence in the Command’s ability to achieve greater success.

Deputy Comptroller of Administration, Kingsley Daniels, speaking on behalf of officers, praised Akpan’s leadership and pledged maximum cooperation to the new Controller. He said the Command looked forward to working with Ihenacho to sustain operational gains and improve results.

In her inaugural remarks, Ihenacho commended Akpan for what she described as a seamless transition and wished him a rewarding retirement. She pledged to consolidate ongoing reforms and strengthen the Command’s operations, with particular focus on revenue collection and the effective implementation of government fiscal policies.

“Our success is the CGC’s success; therefore, we cannot afford to fail the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR,” she said, in a statement that underscored her commitment to aligning with headquarters’ strategic priorities.

She further charged officers to uphold discipline, integrity, and professionalism, stressing that teamwork would be critical in surpassing revenue targets and safeguarding the Service’s reputation.

The ceremony closed with assurances from officers of full cooperation under the new leadership, marking the beginning of Ihenacho’s tenure at the helm of the Command.