by OdunewuSegun
As parts of his mandate to rid the Customs Service of corrupt officers, new head of the Nigerian Custom Service, Hameed Ali has already requested for the files of senior officers of the service with the view of determining among them those suspected of being involved in corrupt practices.
According to the new Customs helmsman, President Buhari was particularly concerned about the high level of corruption in the NCS and the perception that it is one of the most corrupt government agencies in the country.
In a press statement, Ali listed those under the searchlight as officers in the rank of Custom Area Controllers, Assistant Comptroller-Generals and Deputy Comptroller-Generals with the view of tracking down their wealth’s and properties across the country.
“The mandate he has given me are three basic things: go to Customs, reform Customs, restructure Customs and increase the revenue generation, simple. I don’t think that is ambiguous, I don’t think that is cumbersome. It is precise and I believe that is what all of you are here to do,” Ali told Customs officers in Abuja on Thursday.
Similarly, those outside the service, like licensed importers and agents are also going to be investigated, “Any importer or agent found culpable for any of these acts going forward will be prosecuted. No more slap on the wrist as it used to happen in the past,”
According to a source at the Customs, it goes beyond sacking those found culpable. “Many of them will forfeit properties that were illegally acquired in addition to losing their jobs and facing prosecution. It is the beginning of a new era in Customs” he told National Daily.
The source added that even the past Customs Comptroller-General, Dikko Abdullah i’s tenure will be probed with a view to recovering lost revenue.