Thousands pay final respects as ex-Customs boss laid to rest

A massive crowd thronged the Lamido Palace Central Mosque in Yola, Adamawa State, on Thursday for the funeral prayer of  Ahmed  Mustapha, the late former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Among the mourners was Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, who led a long list of dignitaries and sympathizers honoring the revered public servant.

Mustapha, who passed away at the age of 76, was remembered as a man who served Nigeria with integrity and uncommon dedication.

Governor Fintiri, in a tribute posted on his official X handle, described the late customs chief as “a man of service, dignity and duty whose legacy will live on in the heart of the people of Adamawa.”

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Mustapha, former CG of Customs. A man of service, dignity and duty whose legacy will live on. My prayers are with Lamido Adamawa, the Mustapha royal family and all who mourn him. May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdaus,” the governor wrote.

Mustapha, who was the elder brother of the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Aliyu Mustapha, also held the prestigious traditional title of Sardauna Adamawa.

Beginning his career as a cadet officer in the Nigeria Customs Service, Mustapha steadily rose through the ranks before his appointment as Comptroller-General in 1999. His tenure was marked by decisive anti-smuggling campaigns and active participation in national task forces combating economic sabotage, earning him a reputation for firmness and reform-minded leadership.

His burial drew not only government officials and traditional rulers but also ordinary citizens, who poured into Yola to pay their respects.

Many described him as a bridge between modern governance and traditional leadership, a man who commanded respect both in uniform and in royal circles.