Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Qosim Suleiman
Published on 2024-02-28 08:36:21
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is currently taking disciplinary action against one of its personnel, Ibrahim Suleiman, for an alleged case of extortion amounting to N500,000. The incident occurred on 22nd February along Mokwa-Jebba Road in Niger State when Suleiman reportedly extorted the mentioned amount from a car buyer named Muhammad Ahmad. As a response, the Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘B’ Kaduna, Dalha Chedi, handed over Suleiman to the Assistant Provost Marshal (APM) Customs Police Unit in Kaduna for further investigation.
Chedi emphasized the seriousness of the matter, stating that such unprofessional and unethical conduct would not be tolerated within the service. The Customs Police Unit responsible for maintaining discipline has been tasked with conducting a thorough interrogation, with the complainant, Muhammad Ahmad, called upon to aid in the investigation. Chedi assured the public that the outcome of the investigation would be made transparent to serve as a deterrent.
However, while swift action is being taken against Suleiman, there appears to be a lack of action towards seven senior customs officials accused of receiving multi-billion naira bribes from smugglers at the country’s borders. Despite being implicated in diverting large sums of money, these officials, including Ibrahim Jalo, Nurudeen Musa, Mohammed Rabiu, Ibrahim Hamisu, Madugu Saleh, Umar Tafarki, and Kayode Kolade, have not faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or disciplinary measures from the customs service.
The EFCC investigations revealed that substantial amounts, ranging from N85 million to N9.5 billion, were traced to these officials, with partial refunds and promises to repay the embezzled funds being made by some. For instance, Jalo has refunded N250 million out of N1.1 billion traced to him, while Kolade, a Comptroller in Zone C, Port Harcourt, has committed to returning N800 million following the discovery of N9.5 billion in his possession. Musa, another implicated official, had N950 million traced to him, of which N583 million has been recovered by the EFCC.
Moreover, several other customs officials, totaling 33, are currently under investigation by the EFCC for corrupt practices within the service. Amidst these revelations, concerns arise regarding the integrity and accountability of the Nigerian Customs Service and the urgency for decisive action against corruption within its ranks.
In conclusion, the ongoing investigation and disciplinary actions against Ibrahim Suleiman underscore the commitment of the Nigerian Customs Service to uphold professionalism and eradicate corrupt practices. However, the lack of accountability towards high-ranking officials involved in bribery scandals raises questions about the integrity of the institution and the imperative for transparency and justice in addressing such misconduct.
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