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Tag: CG

  • Customs CG, Hamid Ali orders removal of illegal checkpoints

    The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Col. Hamid Ali, has ordered the dismantling of all checkpoints mounted outside 40 kilometres to the border.

    The CG also ordered the removal of checkpoints within the Port areas. Ali’s order is in compliance with Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo directives on ease of doing business in Nigeria.

    Ali asked all customs comptrollers to ensure that information patrols outside borders should not last more than 24 hours.

    He said all Zonal Coordinators, Comptrollers FOUs, CACs, CIU, and other units will be jointly held responsible for flouting the directive.

    These directives were contained in Circular No 10/2017, which was dated July 25, 2017, and made available to newsmen.

    The circular, titled “Removal of all illegal check-points across the country,” was signed by the Acting Deputy Comptroller-General (E, I and I), Mr. A. A. Dangaladima.

    The letter said: “Reference to the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Letter No: PEBEC/EBES/SSAITIOVP/TWN/03 of 18th July 2017 on the above subject-matter, a copy of which is herewith attached.

    “ I am directed to convey CGC’s directive to all the Commands and Units to ensure immediate implementation.

    “For avoidance of doubt, it is hereby emphasized that check-points mounted outside forty (40) kilometers to the border are illegal, while information patrols outside this point should not last more than twenty four (24) hours at any given time.

    “The forty (40) kilometres radius applies only to the borders and consequently there should be no check-points within the Port Areas.

    “To further clarify these issues, it should be reminded strongly, that only two (2) check-points situated at AGBARA and GBAJI along Lagos- Badagry- Seme road are statutorily approved, for instance.

    “Henceforth, Zonal Coordinators, Comptrollers FOUs, CACs, CIU and other Units will be jointly held responsible for flouting the directive.

    “ Ensure widest circulation for strict compliance please.”

    According to findings, the CG of Customs announced the new steps following an advisory from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

    The advisory, which was titled “Ease of doing business reform intervention: trading within Nigeria,” asked the Customs service to comply with the presidential mandate on or before August 11.

    The advisory, dated July 18, was signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment(Office of the Vice President)/PEBEC Secretary, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.

    The letter said: “Further to the mandate of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) of the scoping of reform initiatives to be implemented under the new reform area, trading within Nigeria, the technical committee of the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES), and key ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), have commenced weekly engagements for the implementation of these mandate.

    “ From the ongoing scoping exercise of the Technical Committee, the following reform initiatives have been identified and agreed as short term reforms to be implemented by the NCS before Friday August 11, 2017:

    • Issuance of directive to all customs command across Nigeria to ensure removal of all check-points across Nigeria.
    • Enforcement of compliance of the above directive.
    • Creation of awareness on the approved NCS check points across Nigeria through publication on the NCS command office.

    “Please be informed that NCS will be required to provide a status update to the council on the implementation of the above, stated initiatives at the next PEBEC meeting holding on August 15th, 2017.

    “We are grateful for your continued support to EBES as we implement the council mandate. Please accept the assurance of His Excellency, the acting President’s best regards.”

     

  • Customs CG approves redeployment of 48 comptrollers

    The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Retired Col. Hameed Ali, has approved the redeployment of 48 comptrollers for more effective and efficient service delivery.

    The redeployment was announced in a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Joseph Attah, on Thursday in Abuja.

    The statement said that the redeployment was in line with the ongoing reforms of the service.

    It said that Comptroller Madugu Mustapha was moved from Sokoto/Kebbi/Zamfara Command to Open Company, while Comptroller Udo-aka, E.A was moved from Investigation to Oyo/Osun Command, among others.

    According to the statement, the CGC compliance team has been disbanded, adding that a new team would soon be reconstituted.

    “The new compliance team is divided into three, Team A for Western axis, Team B for Northern axis and Team C for Eastern axis.

    “They are to complement the Federal Operation Units in order to vigorously crackdown on all forms of smuggling activities nationwide with particular focus on the enforcement of non-importation of rice and vehicles through the land borders,” the statement said.

    It said that the new CGC compliance team would be coordinated by Comptroller Azarema Ahmed, who was until the appointment, Comptroller, License and Permit at the headquarter.

    The statement said that each of the axes would be led by an Assistant Comptrollers.

    It said that the CGC expressed his determination to strategically reposition the service as a crucial contributor to the success story of the nation, adding that “all revenue leakages must be blocked.”

    The statement said that the CGC called on all stakeholders to support the service by being compliant as well as provide needed information for the operatives to nip smuggling in the bud.

     

     

    NAN

  • Court orders forfeiture of 17 vehicles seized from ex-Customs CG to FG

    Court orders forfeiture of 17 vehicles seized from ex-Customs CG to FG

    Justice S.M Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna, Thursday, gave an interim order, forfeiting the seventeen vehicles found in the warehouse of former Comptroller General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde, to the Federal Government.

    The order was sequel to an ex parte application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seeking among others, the forfeiture of the vehicles to the Nigerian Government, pending the conclusion of investigation and determination of the case.

    In his ruling, Justice Shuaibu held that “the seventeen (17) vehicles which are now in the custody of the applicant ( EFCC) and as properly described and listed in the schedule marked exhibit EFCC 2 attached to the affidavit in support of the application are hereby forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria in the interim pending conclusion of the investigation.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that operatives of the Commission had on Monday, February 20 stormed the warehouse of the former Customs CG on Nnamdi Azikwe Street, Kaduna and discovered seventeen exotic vehicles worth Hundreds of millions of Naira, suspected to be proceeds of crime.

  • EFCC recovers 17 exotic vehicles from former Customs CG, Inde

    EFCC recovers 17 exotic vehicles from former Customs CG, Inde

     

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced the recovery of 17 exotic vehicles in a warehouse belonging to a former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde.

    Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media and Publicity of the commission, on Wednesday said the vehicles were recovered from Inde’s residence located at Nnamdi Azikwe Street, Kaduna.

    He said upon intelligence, a team of operatives from the Kano Zonal Office of EFCC were deployed to carry out investigation on the matter.

    “On arrival at the location, two individuals who were identified to be the custodians of the property – Dantala Mohammed and Ahmed Balarabe, were presented with a search warrant.

    “In the course of the search, a total of 17 vehicles among which are brand new cars, shuttle busses and SUVs were found in the premises,” he said.

    According to a report by Daily Post, the EFCC spokesperson said the vehicles and the two individuals had been conveyed to the commission’s zonal offices in Kaduna and Kano, respectively.

    He said investigation revealed that the warehouse in question actually belongs to the former customs boss.

    EFCC listed the particulars of the vehicles recovered to include Black colour BMW 525i series, 2010 model with chassis number WBAFR7108BC262936.; Ash colour Hyundai Velester, 2012 model with chassis number KMHTC6AD4CU056038; and Dark Blue BMW 325i, 2003 model with chassis number WBAEV31090KL48386.

    Others are Black colour Land Cruiser Prado Jeep, 2014 model with chassis number JTEBU3FJ50K082080; Black colour Mercedes G wagon, 2013 model with chassis number WDB4632361X207661, and also a Black colour BMW 335i series, 2012 model with chassis number WBA3A91040F268895.

    Also, Silver colour Peugeot 406, 2002 model with chassis number VF3BBRFNR81519018; Black colour Land Cruiser Prado Jeep, 2014 model with chassis number JTEBU3FJ10K082352, and Yellow colour Toyota FJ Jeep, 2007 model with chassis number JTEZU11F68K001301.

    The commission also listed Black Toyota Avensis, 2013 model with chassis number SBIBL76L20E037245; Dark ash colour KIA Cadenza, 2011 model with chassis number KNALN414BC5093288.

    It also included Silver colour Porsche Cayene, 2009 model with chassis number WPIZZZ9PZ9LA12738; Golden colour Honda Accord, 2013 model with chassis number IHGCR2634DA620609.

    A White colour Nissan Urban Bus, 2006 model JNITF4E25Z071583, and a White colour Nissan Urban Bus, 1996 model with chassis number JTFJXO29P605023996.

    EFCC further listed a White Toyota Hiace Bus, 2010 model with chassis number JTGJXO2P4B5020268 and a White Nissan Bus, 2009 model with chassis number JNITA4E250011697.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Abdullahi Dikko Inde was Comptroller-General of Customs from August 2009 to August 2015.

     

  • NSCDC to recruit 3,500 personnel in 2017- CG

    NSCDC to recruit 3,500 personnel in 2017- CG

    The Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Abdullahi Gana, says the agency plans to recruit an additional 3,500 personnel in 2017.

    Gana, who made this known on Wednesday while presenting NSCDC’s 2017 budget of N61.4 billion before the House of Representatives Committee on Interior in Abuja, said this is to enable the corps meet the demands from some MDA’s.

    The MDA’s included the Ministries of Solid Minerals, Agriculture and Rural Development, Water Resources, Nigeria Railways Corporation and the protection of lives and property in the Northeast region.

    Gana said the recruitment would cost N2 billion and urged the committee to appropriate more fund to the organisation.

    He said the corps was facing operational as well as accommodation challenges which requires urgent attention.

    “We have debts of only fuelling of operational vehicles of over N150 million; I have accumulated rents of over N400 million. I do not know where to get money to pay.

    “You can see some state Governors harassing our officers, I do not want to mention the states here, to the extent that they gave our staff one week to vacate.

    “I have such cases in more than 25 states where we are living in rented apartments; our state commandants are living in rented apartments.’’

    The commander general, however, commended some states government that have been very supportive of the agency’s effort of securing lives and property across the country.

     

    NAN