Nigerian Customs: 14 officers suspended over fraudulent activities

Prime Suspect Gambo with fake custom appointment documents

Gambo and some of his victims

Nigerian Customs: 14 officers suspended over fraudulent activities
Hauwa Noroh Ali, Abuja

Fourteen Customs Officers have been suspended and their Salaries stopped in Continuation of efforts by the Nigerian Customs Service to instil transparency into its operations.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi disclosed this in Abuja while addressing journalists in his office.

Ten of the Officers are of the ranks of Deputy Comptrollers and Assistant Comtrollers while the rest are in the Inspectorate Cadres.

The suspended Officers were suspended due to fraudulent release of vehicles and other goods in Tincan Island and Apapa Ports.

Revenue and Security risks

The officers suspended are:

• Gidado, J. T., a Deputy Comptroller of Apapa Port;
• Odege, T. C Ukonu,
• A. U, Shinkafi,
• M. F, Ibrahim,
• L. G, Lawal,
• B. K and Halilu, A. R,

All Assistant Comptrollers, in Tincan Island Port, Lagos.

The rest are Chief Superintendent Waziri, B. F, Idris, M, Harry, N. B, Elemi, P. E, Aliyu, S and Mohammed, A, all Senior Inspectors.

Illegal conduct

Also suspended is Dr. K. C. Ike of the Port Harcourt Medical Unit for absenteeism.

“At this stage of our efforts to transform the Service, we cannot afford to tolerate illegal conduct of this nature exhibited by those officers” he said.

“I am disappointed that despite our efforts to turn-around the Service, some senior Officers are still found wanting”, he stated.

He added that the suspension of the Officers is expected to send a signal to all officers and Men, that the new Customs has no place for those who through their own activities are considered to be “Revenue and Security risks to the nation”

Fake letters of appointment

Earlier on, the Nigerian Customs operatives in Abuja arrested three persons, including two serving Officer who specialise in duping unsuspecting job seekers.

The two Officers are, Inspector of Customs Awalu Isah Gambo and Customs Assistant Bulus Haruna Komo in collaboration with Jashua Komo.

Worried by this criminal act, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Custom services, has directed that a thorough investigation be carried out to identify other accomplices and determine their level of involvement.

Gambo who collected various sum of money amounting to a total of N3.2million Naira from Eleven people interested in joining the NCS, issued them fake appointment letters which were later detected by documentation officers.Three suspects

The Officer in-charge of the documentation, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Usman Turaki said upon detecting the fake letters of appointment, he immediately effected their arrest and reported the case to the Headquarter.

Desperate

He added that preliminary investigation pointed to Gambo, A. I. which latter led to the detail that has unfolded.

A Customs Assistant serving in Minna, Bulus Haruna Komo had introduced his elder Brother Joshua Komo to his superior Gambo for the purpose of assistance to secure enlistment when in subsequent discussion and interactions, Gambo assured Joshua of enlistment into the Service and latter asked him to bring people who were ready to pay the amount needed to facilitate the process.

The desperate Joshua happily went and organized ten other prospective applicants who were ready to part with various sum of money ranging from N250, 000.00 to N400, 000.00 depending on the rank being applied for.

Meanwhile, Gambo and the two Komo brothers are being quizzed at the Customs Headquarters

Iheanacho