The Tin-Can Island Port Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has denied that some of its officers had allegedly dared the authority of Comptroller- General of Customs Dikko Inde Abdullahi.
The Command Customs Public Relations Officer (CPRO), Deputy Superintendent of Customs Chris Osunkwo, in a press statement described the report as baseless, pointing out that no sane officer will speak about the Comptroller-General of Customs in such despicable terms.
He said that Customs helmsman has the authority to either retain or redeploy any officer he deems fit, in order to achieve desired results.
“Anybody certified as a Customs officer should understand the authority the CGC has. If he had said officers were many and he was going to redeploy them, it is not questionable. Nobody can question his authority. He is only exercising his authority in accordance with the enabling laws of the Service,” Osunkwo said.
He said it is act of mischief for anybody to say that the Customs boss was playing to the gallery to remain in office.
“We want to state clearly here that the CGC got to where he is presently by merit and not by lobby therefore cannot play to the gallery to remain in office. As a Command, we view the malicious media report as the handiwork of enemies of the Service whose intent is not only to paint the command black but to also rubbish the unequalled good works of the CGC since he assumed office,” Osunkwo said.
He added: “I would not want to credit that statement to any officer because I doubt the identity of the person. Otherwise how would an officer go on the pages of newspaper to say that the CG’s directive is an empty threat? Then the person should get his head examined because it will mean he does not understand the job he claims to be doing.”
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