Palpable fear and tension have engulfed forty-six affected Senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) who were sacked last week by the board of the service for actions considered capable of compromising national economy and security. The dismissed will be prosecuted in the court of law.

The sacked officers were indicted for alleged involvement in shady physical examination and release of containers without proper documentation, payment of duties, illegal release of goods in advance before the arrival of vessels, collection of bribe to release prohibited items. Other offences are release of export prohibitions, fraudulent sale of seized items, use of fake certificates and bribery to secure auctioned goods.

The trial of the officers were sequel to the threat of the Comptroller-General of Customs Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) to jail any officers found to be corrupt in the service.

This was even as we obtained list of the forty-six Senior Customs officers sacked by the CG last week.

In an internal memo from the board of the service to the Comptroller-General of Customs, tagged: Forwarding Letters of Retirement, Termination, Dismissal, Exoneration, Warning and Upliftment in Rank with Reference number NCSB/ABJ/AP&D/S.D/VolXV/56 dated 13th October 2016, the affected officers with their service number include: Imam S.U, 39114; Balarabe S,38818; Maigar. M, 39183; Shuaibu I.J, 42732; Haruna K, 43002; Jimoh A.S, 40747; Hamidu H, 42236; Hamisu S.G, 36143; Anigwe M.E, 28160; Alfa Y.D, 41718; Abdulahi M.S, 38249; Sale A.S, 35929; Madaki J.M, 34642; Naramu’Azu Usman, 36441; Isah A, 36600; Bello A, 42504; Bello A.M, 39123; Abdullahi R, 38752; Sale H, 35738; Sani. B, 36223; Garba. H, 35717; Owunaka T, 36492.

Others are, Olorunhundo G.S, 50152; Mustapha M.T, 35477; Mbanefo P.C, 41225; Ekong N.A, 36863; Dahiru A, 32629; Azodoh A.C, 30611; Orukalama T, 33227; Mahdi A.Z, 36754; Kalama B, 50950; Duguri Z.I,36507; Daze P.D, 37618; Ohamobi C, 32241; Olajumoke O, 38620; Johnson D.H, 34492; Idris A.Z, 37083; Andrew A.A, 36698; Suleimon A.A, 43040 and Dan Ali M 41440.

Recall that the Comptroller General during his visits to various commands of the service threatened to discipline, dismiss and jail corrupt officers found guilty of corrupt practices.

He has also told the officers during his visit that he was deployed to reform the service.

Ali said that there was the need for officers to be of good conduct and show professionalism while carrying out their duties.

Ali said his administration would have zero tolerance for corruption, hence the need for officers and men of the service to shun all forms of corruption.