The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) football team has emerged as the champions of the 2026 Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Football Tournament held in Abuja. In the final match played at the Area 3 football pitch, Customs defeated the National Institute for Sports (NIS) with a score of 3-0. This victory marks a significant achievement for the Customs team, led by Coach Jibril Yussuf.
The tempo of the game was steady until NCS broke the deadlock through Captain Mikail Abubakar, who scored his fifth goal of the competition, cementing his place as the highest goal scorer. The defense line of the Customs team successfully withstood the pressure from NIS, led by Coach Jibril Yussuf, to take a narrow lead into the half-time break. This crucial lead set the stage for Customs' dominance in the second half.
In the second half, the Customs team took absolute control of the proceedings. Familola Fatai extended Customs' lead to two goals by putting the ball past NIS goalkeeper Orban Osas. Femi Omodara sealed the victory with the third goal, securing a 3-0 win for Customs. This decisive victory demonstrates the team's strength and strategy on the field.
The 2026 NUJ FCT Football Tournament saw eight teams participate, including Nigeria Union of Journalist FCT Council, Nigeria Customs Service, Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Airforce, NDLEA, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), and FCT Football Coaches Association. The tournament was marked by a high level of sportsmanship, with teams displaying a unifying spirit.
In a repeat of last year's final, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) suffered a 2-0 loss to the 2025 champions, Nigeria Air Force (NAF). Meanwhile, Mikail Abubakar of Nigeria Customs Service was named the most valuable player of the tournament, in addition to clinching the golden boot award with five goals. His teammate, Charles Ahur, emerged as the best goalkeeper.
The Chairman of the organizing Committee, Comrade Ndubueze Chidoka, appreciated all the teams that participated, especially the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the National Institute for Sports (NIS), who made their debut in this year's edition of the championship. He commended the high standard of the competition, noting that all teams played at least four games.
The NUJ Council Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike, thanked the teams and guests who turned out in large numbers to be part of the one-week event. She commended the spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by all the teams, highlighting that sports is indeed a unifier. Awards were presented to the Controller General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adeniyi Adewale, and the Director-General of NIS, Hon. Comrade Phillip Shaibu.
Key points
- Nigeria Customs Service won the 2026 NUJ FCT Football Tournament by defeating NIS 3-0 in the final.
- Mikail Abubakar of Nigeria Customs Service was named the most valuable player and top scorer with five goals.
- The tournament featured eight teams and was marked by a high level of sportsmanship among participants.
