About two months after Abdullahi Dikko stepped down as the comptroller-general of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), all the five deputies who served under him have quit the service.
In its over 100 years of existence, this is the first time that all senior officers on a particular rank, will resign at the same time.
After the resignation of Dikko, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Hameed Ali, a retired military officer known to have a strong reputation, to head the service.
On his part, Ali promised to transform customs, which has been enmeshed in different allegations of corruption over the years.
“The days of corruption are gone. Anybody caught shall not be left to go scot-free. I am a stickler for the enforcement of the law. There is need for law and order, and it is important to follow the rules as they are so that we all do not have problems,” he had said during his maiden working visit to Lagos.
Though the top officers did not give any reason for their resignation, a source at the customs headquarters in Abuja told TheCable that they decided to quit to avoid the wrath of Ali.
“Their records are in the open and they have no choice but to bow out. They can succeed under the new CG. Never,” the source said.
“If you know what they did during the period of lobbying to replace Diko, you will pity this country. Honestly.”
The officers – Chukwuma Nwosu; John Atte; Tahir Musa; Adewuyi Akinade; and Mera IM – announced their resignation through a letter titled: ‘Voluntary Retirement’.
“We the underlisted officers currently on the rank of deputy comptroller-general met today, 29 October 2015 and unanimously agreed to voluntarily retire from the service of the Nigerian Customs Service having risen to the privileged rank of deputy comptroller-general,” the letter read.
“We need to thank the president for giving us the opportunity to serve our great nation, Nigeria.” Diko had advised those behind him not to wait until they were asked to leave. “I’m sending out this signal to all those who have stayed put.
Don’t stay until they ask you to go. When you feel you have done so much and you believe in the system you have built, then why do you stay? Why not leave and watch and advise?” he had said.
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