“Custom officers now act like gangsters under
the leadership of Hameed Ali”, says Senator Olamilekan.
Customs’ boss must appear in uniform.
Tellforceblog;  Senate. Summons Customs boss, says he 'must appear in uniform'
Hameed Ali (Comptroller NCS)
The Senate has conveyed their discontentment over the services
of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) under the management of Hammed Ali, its
comptroller general.

On Tuesday, March 7, the Senate ordered the Customs Service
to halt its proposal to seize all vehicles with unpaid import duty. However,
the agency ignored the order and says it would go on with its plan even with
the resolution of the Legislature.
In this respect, on Thursday, March 9, Senator Dino Melaye
noted that the Customs has continually
disregarded
the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Melaye said: “The
senate will take a resolution and an agency of government will have the
temerity, will have the guts and strength to blatantly disregard the Nigerian
senate. It is a very dark day for democracy.

“I’m a member of the
customs committee, I want to educate some of us today, the position of CGC is
rank. I asked him in the committee why he is not wearing uniform rank and he
said ‘uniformed men don’t wear uniform twice’.

“I reminded him that
he retired as a colonel and General Ananiah retired as a general and was
appointed as the corps marshal of the FRSC, we were proudly the uniform of the
Road Safety.

“If we are taking a
decision of the people and agency disrespects the Nigerian senate, however we
will need to check this properly. If they are taking duty on Nigerian road but
if the president is passing no customs officer will stop him and ask for
papers, they will salute and the president’s convoy will pass.

“Same with me as
a Senator. But it is the people who will suffer if the excesses of the Customs
are not checked.”
In the same way, Senator Adeola Olamilekan said that the
Customs boss has been acting as if he is the Commander-in-Chief of the country,
further saying that Customs officers now operate like ‘gangsters’.
Olamilekan said: “I
think it is high time we check the level of high-handedness of the comptroller
of customs because he is acting is acting like he is the commander in chief of
the country.”

“The issue of uniform
is an insult to the Nigerian customs if you are the head of customs and you
cannot wear uniform. You take salute, parade, wearing mufti.  I feel this is an insult to the customs
agency.

“Customs officers now
act like a gangster. He is performing below par; it will not be out of place of
we recommend for his removal. But let’s wait for him to appear in plenary first
in uniform.”
Senator Lanre Tejuoso also reported that two members of his
constituent were murdered by Customs officers.

On these notes, the Senate resolved that the comptroller
General of Customs must appear
before the Senate in his proper uniform nextweek Wednesday, March 15, 2017.

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