Customs boss, Ali introduces “Operation Defend Your Rank”

THE Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali has introduced a new phase by ordering the de-ranking of Customs officers whom he described as not worthy of holding their office.

The exercise codenamed “Operation defends your rank” National Daily gathered that some officers of the service at various Commands, especially Assistant Controllers have now been demoted. Investigations by this reporter revealed that some of the affected officers who have since been demoralized are no longer eager to wear their official uniforms.

Image maker of the service, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, however, denied that so far, no officer has been demoted as speculated though he acknowledged that some officers have been adorning ranks that are not theirs. “The fact is that some officers have been putting on ranks that are not commensurate, it is not their ranks. These anomalies are being corrected by the management.”

Speaking to some clearing agents who do not want their names in print observed that a lot of officers you see wearing big ranks have been removed, some of them are very sad and are no longer wearing customs uniforms. Some are even saying they want to throw in the towel because somebody you were bossing has now become your boss,” he asserted.