By Femi Anamelechi
The National Chair person Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) Kikelomo Adeniyi has advised beneficiaries of the empowerment and community development initiatives at the Seme Area Command to be excellent ambassadors, Mrs Adeniyi pointed this out the launch of a free medical outreach, Green Border Initiative, solar streetlight commissioning, remodeling of the officers’ mess, and distribution of skill acquisition tools to beneficiaries as part of the Association commitment to social impact and welfare.The COWA held on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, at Seme was also attending sister security agencies from Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, traditional rulers, youth leaders, and freight forwarders.Speaking during the event, the National Chair person of COWA, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, stated that the association, which began as a platform to foster unity among officers’ wives, has evolved over time into a transnational initiative empowering thousands of women and families.“We have always built on the legacy of our predecessors by establishing a befitting skill acquisition centre where hundreds are trained daily. As we train these women, we also provide them with support both within and outside Nigeria to ensure they can contribute meaningfully to their communities”, she said.
The Zonal Coordinator Zone A, Assistant Comptroller Mohammed Babandede who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi commended the level of cooperation among security agencies at the Seme border. He said:“Today, I have seen synergy and collaboration with my own eyes. The heads of sister agencies here maintain an excellent working relationship with the Area Controller. I also observed a notable reduction in the number of checkpoints along the route, which is highly commendable”, The Customs Area Controller of Seme Command Comptroller Wale Adenuga, described COWA initiatives as a practical demonstration of the Nigeria Custom Service social responsibility and the Comptroller-General’s Customs Cares philosophy.”Today, close to a thousand individuals will benefit from our programme. Seme has taken a new look with the green border initiative and it will also be a source of revenue for the COWA organisation”, he explained. Many big the participants and beneficiaries expressed their appreciation to COWA for the impactful initiatives and promised to make the most of the opportunities provided to improve their livelihoods and contribute positively to their social economic development.
