Nigeria Customs boss declares zero tolerance for corruption
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi has warned that his team will have stand on zero tolerance for all vices that have dented the image of the Customs service and reduced efficiency.
He also warned that any of his subordinates who aid smuggling would be eased out of the service.
” This administration will be one of zero tolerance for all the vices that have hitherto dented our image and reduced our efficiency”, the CGC warned.
Leaving no one in any doubt as to his resolve to sanitize the service, Inde Dikko declared that “I intend to confront head on, the hydra-headed monster of smuggling, side by side with fighting to rid the Service of officers who aid smuggling”.
He issued this warning on Friday at his maiden meeting all Deputy Comptrollers General, Assistant Comptrollers-General and Comptrollers of the Customs Service.
Lamenting the impact of smuggling on Nigeria and the Customs, the CGC told his officers and men that “Smuggling has robbed this country (Nigeria) of much needed revenue and also robbed the Customs of its reputation”.
In an electronic statement issued by the Acting Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Joseph Attah and made available to Business and Maritime Summit on Friday, the new Customs boss assured that the focus of his team would be to meet the challenges of good governance facing the Customs as the leading non-oil revenue earner for the Federal Government.
According to him, in the last one year, two administrations have gone in quick succession while the “desired impact” became “short-lived”.
Describing his appointment as one he shared with all staff of the Nigeria Customs Service, the CGC hinted that his administration would be based on a six-point agenda.
He listed them as “Maximizing the potentials of the Service
through capacity building; moral rebirth for discipline and integrity in the Service, in tandem with the nation’s current re branding; ensuring enhanced welfare package for officers and men of the Service and consolidating on the current e-customs through ASYCUDA for international best practices; continued collaboration and partnering with stakeholders and international organizations; and fostering mutual understanding between the Service and the general public through coordinated public relations activities.”
While stressing that most of the allegations against officers and men of the Customs were false, Inde Dikko called on his lieutenants to reflect on those ones that are true and take positive steps to correct them.
“We all know that there are myriad of allegations against the Customs Service, most of which are false. We know the ones that are true and we will begin, starting from today to tackle them”, the new Customs boss vowed.
“A new beginning, a fresh orientation”, the CGC counseled, was what the nation expected from the Customs Service “as we tackle corruption and undue harassment of the public in the name of collection of duty”.
He further promised that the Customs, under his leadership, would break barriers to collection of highest possible revenue for Nigeria while operating an open door policy that would not be averse to constructive criticism.
His words: “In doing this, I will not ascribe to myself monopoly of knowledge as good suggestions will be welcome from within and outside the Service. I am not averse to constructive criticisms”.
Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi then called on all Customs officers to toe the line of professionalism and re-dedicate themselves to service in accordance with the ethics of their jobs.
Nigerians, he advised further, were expecting efficient service delivery from the Customs and called on all personnel to be ready to serve dutifully and honestly.
He the announced the re-deployment of officers to new commands in what was described as a bid to “re-sharpen service delivery”.
The details of the redeployment is as follows:
S/NO NAME FORMER AREA NEW AREA
1 KUFFI, D.G INV & INSP PTML
2 BELLU, R.O C/RIVER/AK INSP
3 ALIYU, A. H ZONE “A” HQ TCIP
4 ANEKE, S. S PTML C/RIVER/AK
5 MERA, I. M TCIP INVESTIGATION
6 ADEWUYI, A.A OGUN APAPA
7 JAMO,A. M PCA (C) OGUN
8 DAN-ALKALI CIU NG/KW/KG
9 SULAIMAN, I.I NG/KW/KG IMP/EXP
10 AKINLOYE,B.S FOU ZONE “C” CIU
11 UMAR, I.A KLT ASYCUDA
12 KANE, E. D HQTRS FOU ZONE “C”
13 UGOH, D.A PCA “A” MMIA
14 MOHAMMED, A.A MMIA KLT
15 GBEMUDU, V. O LILYPOND PCA “A”
16 OGUNOJEMITE, O.L ASYCUDA LILYPOND

The redeployment takes immediate effect.