Customs officers serving at the Tin-Can Island Port Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) may risk losing their jobs or redeployed to remote area commands, if the threat by Comptroller-General of Customs Dikko Inde Abdulahi is anything to go by.
Addressing officers of the Command last Wednesday, Abdullahi said that, due to the large number of officers there, many according to him, are now concentrating on doing clearing jobs rather than facing their core statutory responsibilities.
He said that he is not happy with the many complaints reaching his office, especially on the hacking of the Customs server.
The Customs boss lamented the huge revenue loss as a result of the illegal release of consignment by so-called camp boys employed by the officers, pointing out that investigations carried out revealed that the passwords were issued out willing and not based on carelessness.
Consequently, the number of officers currently operating at the Command, according to the Customs chief will be reduced to one quarter and redeployed to Commands in the far north, adding that officers on investigation on issues bordering on password theft be ready to leave the Service.
“If you have any case of password, pack your load you, are leaving the service. If you feel you can be employing the service of touts and camp boys and causing revenue leakages for government, then you are cursed,” Abdullahi said.
He went on: “If you say the allegations are false, let me see your revenue for this month; if you exceed your target then I will know it is not true, but if you do not, then it means some of you are having license.”
The Customs boss advised the officers to redouble their efforts, especially in the third quarter of the year when volume of importation is high by ensuring all revenue loopholes are blocked in order to maximize revenue collection.
“Some of you are holding importers’ consignments for no reason. If you are quick to release the cargo, that is when you have more revenue. But if you delay consignment, the revenue will be tied down,” he said.
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