The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has approved the dissolution of the CGC Strike Force Teams with immediate effect.
The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Strike Force was formed by former Comptroller General Hameed Ali.
The Strike Force acquired notoriety for indiscriminate stoppage of goods already cleared from the port and raising additional debit notes against importers. Some members of the strike force have also been accused of indiscriminately shooting at unarmed civilians.
Customs National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, who made this known in a statement made available to SHIPS & PORTS, said the Customs boss also directed the Federal Operations Units to take over the strike force responsibilities across the Federation henceforth.
This development, according to the service, is in tandem with his vision of ensuring result-oriented anti-smuggling strategies while facilitating legitimate trade.
The statement noted that consequently, the Ag. CGC has therefore given the Federal Operations Units and other Enforcement formations the marching order to use all the instruments of law available to discharge their duties.
He also directed strict adherence to enshrined standard operating procedure and rules of engagement while dealing decisively with economic saboteurs.
To ensure transparency and accountability, all anti-smuggling formations have also been mandated to boldly ascribe their names on all operational vehicles to checkmate the possibility of excesses, misconduct, and human rights abuse.
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