By Zika Bobby
Assistant Comptroller General of Customs and Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone A, Aminu Dahiru, has urged officers under his watch to intensify efforts at arresting violators of customs laws, insisting that if more are jailed, smuggling activities would drastically reduce.
Speaking in Ibadan, while addressing officers and men of Oyo/Osun Command, as part of his familiarisation tour of customs formations in the South West, Dahiru said while the customs service had dismissed many of its officers for various offences, clearing agents and importers are walking freely.
Said he: “A lot of our officers are being dismissed for conniving with agents and importers, but the importers are not in jail. If you visit Nigerian prisons, you won’t see much of customs offenders in jail. It takes two to tango.
“We are not only protecting the economy, we are also protecting life and property by preventing smuggling of arms, ammunition and illicit drugs.”
He said changes in customs were real, boasting that documentation was now more thorough and productivity measured by performance.
According to him, the recent promotion examination in the customs was transparent and completely devoid of favouritism, as a way of bringing out the best and most deserving personnel for elevation to the next ranks.
He added that under the present Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali, no deserving officer would be shortchanged in the promotion process, as merit has become the order of the day.
Meanwhile, Customs Area Comptroller in Oyo and Osun, Elisha David Chikan, said within the last three weeks, the command has made seizure worth N55.5 million of contraband