Customs’ Big Hammer Falls on 23 Officers
Twenty-three senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been sanctioned for various offences in the first two months of 2015.
A statement issued by the service and endorsed by the Comptroller General, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, stated that 12 of the officers were suspended from the service pending the outcome of investigations, while 11 others are currently facing investigative panels set up by the chief executive of the service.
According to the statement, among those suspended are three Assistant Superintendent of Customs implicated in a case of extortion at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja. The officers attached to the Currency Declaration desk at the airport got into trouble for allegedly extorting the sum of 13,000 USD during the outward clearance of a passenger on an Emirates Airline flight.
“Two others, also Assistant Superintendent, serving in Seme Command are suspended from Customs for alleged Rape, an offence said to have been committed in Badagry area of Lagos.
The comptroller-general expressed regrets that the involvement of young officers recently recruited into the Service in various illegal acts was worrisome. He warned that the Service will not tolerate such officers, noting that the machinery for investigations in the Service will be strengthened to punish erring officers.
“Mid-level management officers serving in the Ports were also affected in the recent action as five Assistant Comptrollers of Customs serving in Tin Can Island Port are among those suspended from service for improper release of seizures.
“Others including a Deputy Comptroller serving in Apapa Port have appeared at the investigative panel for negligence and improper examination of containers. The outstanding six officers were made to appear before the same panel for offenses ranging from hacking of passwords, falsification of academics certificates, negligence to general indiscipline.”
The Comptroller General said the Service will go after officers operating illegal check points. He acknowledged the persistent complaint he had received on some routes particularly around Kogi, Ondo and Edo states. He assured motorist that special units of his office will conduct special surveillance operation to apprehend the culprits, warning that officers operating such illegal check points will be severely punished.