ABUJA: Determined to rid the ports of decades of corruption, the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), in a renewed effort, is beaming searchlight on corrupt officers.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) last week renewed its war against corrupt officers in the system. This time about 29 officers were suspended over one offence or the other bordering on corruption. Among the various offences involving officers, including a deputy controller and assistant controllers, include bribe scandal in which three superintendents of customs collected the sum of $13,000. Others allegedly collected other sums of money to release seized goods. What was not clear was the type of goods released.
The Public Relations Officer of the Service, Alhaji Wale Adeniyi, Deputy Comptroller, while confirming the story also clarified that three of the suspended officers were of the rank of Assistant Superintendent who are serving at the Currency Declaration Desk of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja. The officers allegedly collected the $13000 bribe from one of the passengers during the outward clearance in Emirate flight. It was gathered that the Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko, had based on reports reaching him ordered investigation of the affected officers in a renewed onslaught against corruption in the system. So far, nearly every major command is involved in the allegation of corrupt practices. In the Tin Can Island port, there are at least five senior officers in the rank of Assistant Comptrollers. They were suspended for improper release of seized goods. At Seme Border, two officers in the rank of superintendents were suspended for rape. In Apapa port, a deputy controller was also said to have appeared before an investigative panel on allegation of negligence, improper examination of containers, among others. Other officers who are facing disciplinary measures were accused of various corrupt practices, including hacking of passwords, falsification of academic certificates, negligence and general indiscipline.
Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Inde Dikko Abdullahi, was particularly reported to have expressed concern over increasing cases of indiscipline among officers. Among some of the worrisome acts of the officers include operation of illegal check points on some routes through which innocent Nigerians are extorted.
The targets of the unscrupulous customs officers are newly registered vehicles and other goods. The officers could be found on the East West road, between Lagos and Edo East West road. The officers could also be found around Kogi. But the CG was said to have assured that those involved in such illegal operations would be monitored and brought to book. To every customs officer on check points, every person with a newly registered car is assumed to have smuggled such car into the country. While it is true that some vehicles are smuggled into the country and sold with fake customs papers, it is also the duty of the customs to stop the smugglers. Surprisingly, some customs officers are allegedly involved in aiding and abetting smuggling of vehicles and other items into the country through bush paths.
Ports and Tradition of Corruption Every customs comptroller general has always waged war against corruption among officers. And this may not be unconnected with the long held belief that the ports environment is full of corruption with the customs allegedly topping other organisations and individuals involved in this economic crime.
It does not matter that the customs personnel may not be the ones initiating the corrupt tendencies, but as gate keepers they are not supposed to encourage it. So, the label of corruption has been on the face of the customs and its personnel. Incidentally, those who drum this louder are even the same importers and their customs agents who honestly take the lead in corrupting some willing unscrupulous customs personnel.
