The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Ikeja, has expressed its readiness to deepen collaboration with the Oko Opo Widows Foundation as part of efforts to uplift widows, vulnerable children and other disadvantaged groups in society.
This commitment was reaffirmed on Tuesday when the Comptroller of FOU A, Ms. Shuaibu, received the promoter of the Foundation, Ambassador (Dr.) Babatunde Adeyemo, during a courtesy visit to her office.
Comptroller Shuaibu commended the Foundation for its longstanding support to widows and vulnerable groups, noting that the partnership aligns with the objectives of the NCS Care Scheme. She assured that the Service would continue to work closely with the Foundation in its humanitarian interventions.
“We are grateful for what you are doing for us and for aligning with us. We will continue to align with you. We have received your message. We will deliberate on it and revert to you,” she said.
Earlier, Ambassador Adeyemo praised the NCS for its generous support during last year’s Nigeria Customs Care Initiative, which was executed in collaboration with the Foundation. He noted that the outreach made a significant difference in the lives of beneficiaries, particularly in Ogun State.
Adeyemo also reflected on a near-tragic encounter with an NCS operative on December 8, 2024, which eventually opened the door to a fruitful partnership between the Foundation and the Customs Service. According to him, what could have ended negatively turned into an opportunity to build a collaborative relationship focused on community upliftment.
“As part of our continued support initiatives for widows, we are pleased to announce another empowerment programme scheduled for December 26, 2025, at Pelican Valley Estate, Laderin, Abeokuta,” he said.
He extended an invitation to the NCS to participate in this year’s edition, expressing gratitude for the Service’s commitment to humanitarian causes and community development.
The Foundation and the NCS are expected to work closely in the coming weeks to finalize plans for the 2025 empowerment outreach.
