The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said on Monday that it sanctioned 20 senior officers in the last two months carrying out acts considered illegal while on official duties.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi, in Abuja, nine of the officers were suspended from service pending the outcome of investigations on their offences.
Three other officials of the Nigerian Customs Service including an Assistant Superintendent of Customs earlier suspended for allegedly extorting $13,000 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja were not added to the figure.
The statement listed some of their offences as rape, improper examination of items, falsification and forgery of certificates, and improper release of seized items.
The other 11, he said, are currently facing investigative panels set up by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi.
“Five of the 11 officers, including a Deputy Comptroller serving in Apapa Port, had appeared at the investigative panel for negligence and improper examination of containers.
“The other six officers were made to appear before the same panel for offences ranging from hacking of passwords, falsification of academic certificates, negligence and general indiscipline.
“Also mid-level management officers serving in the ports were also affected in the recent action as five Assistant Comptrollers serving in Tin Can Island Port were among those suspended from service for improper release of seizures.
“Two others, also Assistant Superintendents serving in Seme Command were suspended for alleged rape, an offence said to have been committed in Badagry area of Lagos,” the statement said.
It that the Comptroller-General, Abdullahi Dikko, was worried about the involvement of young officers recently recruited into the service in these various illegal acts.
Abdullahi has therefore warned that the service will not tolerate such officers, noting that the machinery for investigations in the service will be strengthened to punish erring officers.
He also warned against illegal check-points, stressing that any officer caught in the act would be severely dealt with, adding further that the complaints of illegal checkpoints are more in routes particularly around Kogi, Ondo and Edo states.
The statement quoted Abdullahi as assuring motorists that special units of his office would conduct special surveillance operation to apprehend the culprits.
