Customs sanctions 23 officers for economic sabotage

To instill discipline in the organisation, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Dikko Inde, has approved various of punishment for 23 officers over gross misconduct bordering largely on economic sabotage.

The offences, Daily Sun learnt, include extortion, rape, improper release of seized cargoes, improper cargo examination, certificate forgery and dereliction of duty, among other misconducts.

The National Public Relations Officer of NCS, Wale Adeniyi, who revealed this recently said, “12 of the officers were suspended from service pending the outcome of investigations, while 11 others are currently facing investigative panels set up by the Comptroller General of Customs, Inde.

The service had earlier suspended three Assistant Superintendents of Customs for allegedly extorting $13,000 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja. The officers allegedly extorted the money during the outward clearance of the passengers on Emirates Airline flight.

The suspension of the three officers now brings the number of those hammered by the Customs for various offences to 23 between January and March.

According to him, “other officers were currently facing investigative panels set up by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Inde. Five of the 11 officers, including a Deputy Comptroller serving in Apapa Port, had appeared before the investigative panel for negligence and improper examination of containers.

“The other six officers were made to appear before the same panel for offences ranging from hacking of passwords, falsification of academic certificates, negligence and general indiscipline.

“Also mid-level management officers serving in the ports were also affected in the recent action, while five Assistant Comptrollers serving in Tin Can Island Port were among those suspended from service for improper release of seizures.

“Two other Assistant Superintendents serving in Seme Command were suspended for alleged rape, an offence said to have been committed in Badagry area of Lagos.”

In a related development, the Customs Area Controller of FOU, Zone C, Owerri, Dimka Victor David, recently announced the seizure of 1,500 cartons of frozen chickens, turkeys and the vehicles conveying them along the Warri-Asaba axis with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N16.2 million.

He noted that the smugglers arrested would soon be charged to court for their involvement in illegal act.

Dimka said the seizures were recorded barely six days after the unit took delivery of 20 brand new patrol vehicles supplied by the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Inde, to smoothen its operations.  “The items, imported frozen chicken and turkey preserved with dangerous chemicals are injurious and harmful for human consumption and quite detrimental to the nation’s economy and people should avoid it because it is cheap and contaminated and adversely affects the kidney if consumed,” he warned.

…As FOU Zone C arrests smugglers

 UCHE USIM