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| Comptroller General, Hameed Ali, Nigerian Customs Service |
News
No fewer than 50 officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are
currently being investigated for various corrupt related offences. Sources said
the officers risk losing their jobs if found culpable.
There have been allegations by maritime stakeholders that corrupt
cases involving some officers who have been listed for various forms of
punishment may have been swept under the carpet, one year after the threat by
the Comptroller General, Hameed Ali to prosecute any those found to be corrupt.
NCS Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi told SHIPS & PORTS
DAILY that the Customs boss has set up a special provost unit as part of effort
to ensure speedy conclusion of the investigation and also to reposition the
Customs investigative unit for greater efficiency.
“The intention of this is to ensure that investigations are done
quickly and concluded and to ensure that adequate punishment as specified by
law is prescribed for offences and most importantly to inculcate the fear of
that unit in the minds of officers that there is a special unit that is
watching them to ensure offences are dealt with decisively.
“Plans are underway to reposition and restructure the
investigation department and a committee has been set up in that regard. In
doing this, he (Customs Comptroller-General) is creating a provost unit to
compliment what the investigation unit is doing now.
“There are over 50 cases involving officers regarding charges on
vehicles, the valuation they give to vehicles, release of vehicles without
procedures. We are addressing all of this but it might take some time,” he
said.
Adeniyi said the Provost Unit will be a special investigative unit
with powers similar to that of the Police in addition to having enforcement and
prosecution powers.
When asked if the Customs boss will make good his threat to jail
or dismiss those found wanting, Adeniyi said “As regards what we happen to them
there is no point pre-empting them, we should wait for them to finish their
report and come out with their recommendation.
“They have to follow due process to do whatever has to be down and
I don’t think we should be in a hurry in the eyes of the judges. An innocent
person should not be punished for a crime.
“We can’t speculate if the CG will prosecute or not but I am sure
it won’t take us time to complete the report.”
Credit: Shipsandports
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