Perhaps blinded by what he prides as his Olympian earthly official position, the Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Unit, Tin-Can Island Port Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Chief Superintendent of Customs Ibrahim Badisha, may have done the unthinkable by allegedly seeking to coerce a woman of the cloth to grant him sexual favours.
Badisha, who is thought to be a lawyer, has been accused of allegedly sexually harassing a Reverend Sister from the Daughters Eternal Father Mission, under threat of impounding a consignment of items for the Catholic charity she was processing the clearance.
SHIPS &PORTS DAILY gathered that the victim allegedly suffered the unsavoury experience at the hands of the randy Customs officer when she and other Reverend Sisters were processing the clearance of a consignment, which was said to comprise items donated for charity from the United States (US).
It was learnt that consignment included cars and relief materials for running a mission catering for physically-challenged persons and others with special needs.
Narrating her ordeal to SHIPS &PORTS DAILY, the victim, who pleaded that her name be kept out of print, said that, on physical examination of the containerised consignment by the Customs, Badisha allegedly accused the Reverend Sisters of concealing the vehicles.
She claimed that, because she consistently rebuffed the Badisha’s alleged amorous advances, the officer, cashing in on his position as Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Unit at the Tin-Can Island Port Area Command, had single-handedly registered the container as seizure, claiming the vehicles were concealed.
“We have three cars duly paid for, wheel chair and used cloths and other relief items inside the container donated to us by Sisters in the United States. Our Superior had to travel from US down to Nigeria because of this very container to explain that the pattern over there is quite different from Nigeria. Over there, if it is a donated item, they don’t bother to put it in bill of lading; they just put it in since it is for charity,” the victim said.
She went on: “After physical examination has been conducted, we asked that he should raise a debit note for us, that we are ready to pay, but he wouldn’t give in, but for him to tell me I’m going to cry and suffer because of this very container, which means he knows what he is doing.”
Continuing, she said: “We got to know him after we cleared a container at Tin-Can sometimes ago. But this is another container that was kept in his custody and he withheld it because he said he did not get anything from us from the former container that was cleared. When I started coming for the clearance of this container, he began making all sort of advances on me, telling me that I am not yet a woman and I won’t be a woman if I have not been put in bed. That it is a man that will treat me right, saying he wants to have me for a while.
“The OC, Legal, made different advances on me, but God will not let him. He single-handedly registered the container as seizure, saying I am going to cry and suffer because of this container.”
She added: “We used to be two, but sometimes, because we don’t have enough money, one person will come. So any time he sees me , he will be making advances, saying the other Sister is an ‘old school’, that I am the real person he is looking for. Some of his colleagues will even tell him that that he should not make that kind of joke, because these are holy women of God, but he will tell them that there is nothing like being holy.”
The Sisters are, therefore, demanding a public apology from the Customs officer for the alleged sexual harassment, as well as the prompt release of their container, which, according to sources, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) has directed to be released.
It was learnt that the Commissioner of Ports Authority Police Command (PAPC), Mrs.Sherifat Disu-Olajoku, has equally ordered for the arrest of Badisha, who SHIPS &PORTS DAILYgathered is now at large, having gone away without leave (AWOL) from his duty post.
When contacted, Customs Public Relations Officer of the Tin-Can Island Port Area Command, Deputy Superintendent of Customs Chris Osunkwo, confirmed the incident, saying that the Police investigation into is ongoing, and, therefore, that he would not make any comment until investigation is concluded.
“I learnt the matter has been reported to the Police, and the Service, according to them, has taken it up, and the case is under investigation. And we don’t comment on issues that are under investigation. But we are awaiting the outcome of the investigation,” Osunkwo said.
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