CUSTOMS: Jonah Adamu Appointed Supervising Coach Of Volleyball Teams

By Samuel Egbewole 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has appointed former Nigerian international volleyball player Jonah Adamu as supervising coach of its men’s and women’s volleyball teams ahead of the second phase of the 2026 Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC)/Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) Volleyball Premier League.

The appointment was announced by the Head of Sports, Samuel Onikeku, following the men’s team’s 3–0 victory over the Nigeria Correctional Service in a friendly match on Wednesday at the indoor sports hall of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Onikeku explained that Adamu would oversee both teams, with direct responsibility for the men’s side during matches and the flexibility to take charge of the women’s team when required.

“Former Nigeria international Adamu has been appointed as the supervising coach of the men and women’s teams.”

“He will handle the men’s team during matches and can be drafted to oversee the women’s team whenever the occasion arises, as he is supervising both teams,” he said.

In a related development, Priscilla Agera, an African Games gold medallist in indoor and beach volleyball, has been appointed to supervise the coaching staff of the women’s team.

Agera will oversee coaches Francisca Ikhiede, Bose Melaye and Tosin Bukky, who recently obtained Level One coaching certification from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

Onikeku said the Controller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had made significant investments in the teams as they prepared for the second phase of the league, scheduled to begin on Friday.

Speaking after the friendly against the Nigeria Correctional Service, Adamu expressed confidence in the Customs men’s team, attributing its progress to the support provided by the service’s leadership.

*Priscilla Agera, newly appointed supervising coach for the women’s team and Jonah Adamu, the newly appointed supervising coach of the men’s and women’s teams.

He said the team was determined to improve on its performance in the first phase of the league and collect the maximum points available in the next stage.

Adamu also commended the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Customs Service Sports Unit for organising friendly matches to help the players prepare for the competition.

“We appreciate the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Customs Service Sports Unit for all these friendly matches that we are playing. You can see that Customs is improving day by day,” he said.

According to him, the team’s participation in international competitions had also contributed to improvements in its performance.

“From the first match, we need the maximum points. We are not targeting a team; we are targeting the trophy. Anything that comes in front of us, we will try and play volleyball,” he said.

Meanwhile, the head coach of the Nigeria Correctional Service men’s team, Adam Nitte, described the friendly as a valuable opportunity to test his players against one of the country’s leading volleyball teams.

Nitte said the match helped him assess the players and identify areas requiring improvement ahead of the league’s second phase.

He explained that friendly matches allowed coaches to test strategies and evaluate their squads, noting that teams did not necessarily deploy all their tactics during such encounters.

The coach added that the Correctional Service team finished fifth in the first phase, but the points gap between them and the higher-ranked teams was not substantial.

He said the addition of two professional players had strengthened the squad and boosted its confidence ahead of the next phase.

In the women’s category, the Customs team defeated VIP Vipers 3–1 in another friendly match as both sides continued preparations for the league.

The Customs women’s head coach, Suleiman Ajeigbe, said his players were ready for the competition, adding that the team’s management had prioritised their welfare and recovery.

*CGC Men  Volleyball League friendly.

He commended team manager Samuel Onikeku for providing the players with the necessary support and facilities.

“We are not relenting. The team manager has been doing very well to ensure the welfare of the players, including providing a better place for them to stay and rest well to aid recovery,” he said.

Ajeigbe expressed confidence in his team’s readiness and urged other participating sides to prepare adequately for the competition.

On her part, VIP Vipers head coach Francisca Ikhiede said her team had received adequate support from its sponsor and management, noting that the players had worked hard in preparation for the league.

She said the team was aiming to finish among the top three sides in the competition.

“With hard work, there should be a target set for us. We are setting a target to be on the podium,” she said.

Ikhiede, who previously played for and captained the Customs team, said she was committed to guiding her current players and helping them build confidence in their abilities.

“My job is to guide the girls so they can believe in themselves. They have all the talent, and they are very young, so my job is to put them through and make them believe in themselves,” she said.

The second phase of the CGC/NVBF Volleyball Premier League is expected to provide participating teams with another opportunity to improve their standings and strengthen their bids for the title.