Group threatens Customs CG over uniform

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) have threatened to sue the embattled Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) if he should wear the Customs uniform.

In a statement to journalists, the Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam said the Customs CG was not a commissioned officer hence can’t assumed the character of an officer of the service.

Aniebonam citing Section 10 of Customs Excise and Management Act (CEMA) cap C 45 of 2004 said the character of a proper Customs Officer shall include but not limited to Uniform, Service Number, Rank, Identity card and ofcourse a formal training to initiate an officer into revenue and Enforcement Duty which he said the CG never had.

He said, “Section 10 of CEMA Cap C 45 of 2004 as amended say the characters of a proper Customs Officer shall include but not limited to Uniform, Service Number, rank, identity card and of course a formal training to initiate an officer into revenue and enforcement duty. The rank of a comptroller General of customs as stated in the legal notices as a supplementary legislation is a stool which can be worn by a commissioned officer of the service,

“Ali is correct for not wearing Customs uniform and equally Mr. President was right for not appointing him as a sole administrator in a democratic government.”

The Founder of the group further stated that if Ali should wear the Customs uniform, NAGAFF may approach the court to stop him from act of unlawful assumption of character of an officer of the service.

“Our locus shall be drawn from section 154 of CEMA Cap C 145 of 2004 as amended, the real issue before NAGAFF is to examine and determine whether Ali is doing his job as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to reform, restructure and enhance revenue collection functions of the service.”

“Presidential mandate to Ali were specific and unambiguous, he was directed to reform, restructure and enhance revenue collection functions of the service within a time frame of four years of the administration tenure.