Customs Boss Threatens To Resign

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dikko Abdullah said he would prefer to resign honorably than compromise standards.

Abdullahi disclosed this  at a one-day forum of the customs and textile value chain stakeholders ”I am doing my duty diligently and I have no fear for anybody. And I want to assure you that the day I am asked to compromise, I will rather choose the path of honour because I have a name to protect. I would rather leave but I am sure the government of today is a government of rule of law, it is a government that has a passion for the development of this country.” he said.

The customs boss accused some law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies of aiding the activities of smugglers across the borders ‘’We have bad eggs, the people who are doing this business together with these people (smugglers). And unless we put ourselves together and fight the evaders and unscrupulous elements among our society – 98 per cent of crime detection in the world are done through information. You can call a person and send him to do a particular job. If you don’t monitor through the information of his own activities, then get ready for disappointment. And that’s where we find ourselves.” He said.

Making reference to the seizure of contraband goods worth N480 billion

in Kano State, Abdullahi said it is a reflection of the total failure on the part of government agencies to undertake their statutory functions.

“In Kano, some people do acquire land and put a structure like a house but when you enter the place, you find a mighty warehouse where they stock more than fifty containers and not pay a duty and they are counterfeits, sub standard. They walk free in a country where we have law and order. In a country where we have law enforcement agencies who are supposed to check these menace.

“It is a shame if today we cannot stand and protect these people that can put in their own capital, that can sacrifice their own time and abandon their families and sector and some people are coming from somewhere without having regard for anything they destroy our cotton growing farmers, they destroy our youths with unemployment and now, the same people are determining how much dollar is sold because what they are producing and bringing into the country has no labour costs. Can you now tell me how can we control liquidity and price of dollar with that type of crime? We all need to talk to the government.” he fumed.

Abdullahi also faulted the Federal Government’s proposed plan to give N5, 000 monthly allowances to unemployed youths in the country.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who reportedly announced the plan at the 10th Year Anniversary Lecture of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, said Buhari’s government will implement the first phase of the program using recognized identification platforms and transparent payment solutions.

In contrast, the Customs boss feels it is better to teach them how to fish rather than offering them fishes“I will rather prefer to finance the local industries with SURE-P than to give ordinary persons N5,000. After the N5000 now what’s next? He’ll come back and if you don’t give him, he becomes violent because he believes it is his legitimate right to get a money he didn’t work for.” He said.