12 Senior Customs Officers Suspended For Extorting $13,000

Twelve senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, have been suspended for extorting $13, 000 (N2.73m) from passengers as well as releasing seized consignments

Also being disciplined are 11 other senior officers, who are currently being investigated by disciplinary panels set up by the Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko, bringing to 23, the number of erring officers.

Public Relations Officer of the Service, Wale Adeniyi, a Deputy Comptroller, who made the disclosure yesterday, said three of the suspended officers are of the rank of Assistant Superintendent, serving at the Currency Declaration desk of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

They were implicated in a case of extorting $13, 000 from a passenger during the outward clearance of an Emirates Airline flight.

Five of the affected officers, who are of the rank of Assistant Comptrollers at the Tin Can Island Port command, were suspended from office pending the outcome of the panel set up to investigate allegation of improper release of seized consignments leveled against them.

Adeniyi said further that two other officers, who are also of the rank of Assistant Superintendent, serving at the Seme Border Command were suspended for alleged rape, an offence said to have been committed in Badagry area of Lagos State recently.

The disciplinary measures were also meted on middle level management officers serving in the various ports formations for one form of offence or the other. (Photo credit: News Express).