The Nigeria Customs Service will disengage 1,516 officers nationwide over the next two years.

The retirement notices were contained in two circulars issued by the Service’s Human Resource and Development Department and signed by the Comptroller, Establishment, A.A. Bazuaye, on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller-General, Human Resources and Development.

According to the documents, officers across all cadres, from the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General to Customs Assistant II, will exit the service in line with statutory retirement provisions.

The first document, Circular No. HRD/2025/048 dated September 19, 2025, contains the final list of 825 officers scheduled to retire in 2026.

A second Circular No. HRD/2026/020 dated May 26, 2026, forwarded a draft list of 691 officers due for statutory retirement in 2027.

In both circulars, the Service directed affected officers to proceed on mandatory pre-retirement leave in accordance with Public Service Rule 100238 and Federal Government Circular No. 63216/S.I/X/T; CR 1/2001/5 of March 20, 2001.

The officers were further directed to ensure compliance and forward their three-month pre-retirement notice to the Comptroller-General of Customs accordingly.

Polaris Bank has strongly dismissed as false and misleading social media reports claiming that over 34 people died in a fire incident at its Broad Street branch on Lagos Island.

In an official statement, the bank confirmed that there were no casualties or fatalities recorded during the Thursday fire outbreak.

“The reports claiming that over 34 persons were feared dead are false and misleading. We confirm that there were no casualties or fatalities,” the bank stated.

The fire, which reportedly started from a vehicle in the building’s parking area, was swiftly contained by the Lagos State Fire Service with minimal damage to the facility. Operations at the branch are expected to resume normally soon.

The bank urged the public to rely on verified official information and disregard unconfirmed rumours circulating on social media.

This incident follows heightened public sensitivity to fire outbreaks in Lagos following previous tragic events in the area. Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact cause of the fire, but investigations are ongoing.

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