The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called out President Bola Tinubu for failing to address the deep-rooted Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) corruption exposed in FIJ’s recent investigative reports.
CHRICED, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes democratic accountability, said that Tinubu’s reluctance to tackle corruption puts Nigeria’s democracy at great risk at a press conference on Thursday.
Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, the Executive Director of CHRICED, released a press statement containing his organisation’s position:
“…the focus of today’s press briefing is centered on the Nigeria Customs Service. On February 27, 2024, Nigeria’s Premium Times reported a corruption scandal involving a group of seven high-ranking officers from the Nigeria Customs Service. According to Premium Times, an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission revealed these officers were found to have accepted a total of N12 billion in bribes from smugglers in exchange for turning a blind eye to their illegal activities,” the statement read in part.
“Among those implicated in the scandal were Mr. Kayode Kolade, the Comptroller of the Federal Operation Unit Zone C in Port Harcourt, who received a bribe of N9.5 billion (equivalent to about $6.33 million); Mr. Ibrahim Jalo, the Area Controller of Zone B in Kaduna, who received N1.1 billion. Upon Mr. Jalo’s arrest, he was found in possession of $32,000 and N500,000 in cash. Other officers involved in the scheme included Mr. Nurudeen Musa, who received N950 million; Mr. Hamisu Ibrahim, who received N120 million; and Mr. Madugu Saleh and Mohammed Rabiu, who received N85 million and N84 million, respectively.
“In a related development, undercover investigator Fisayo Soyombo of Foundation for Investigative Journalism revealed the complicity of Nigerian customs officers. Fisayo’s 16-minute undercover video showed how easy it is to smuggle anything into Nigeria with the complicity of corrupt customs officials. The video concluded, “If you pay the right amount of bribe, you can smuggle anything into the country.”
READ MORE: VIDEO: IBD Dende Threatens to Kill Customs Officer for Seizing His Smuggled Goods
“However, corruption and the involvement of Nigerian customs in smuggling activities are not only recent occurrences. In 2016, four deputy comptrollers of customs, five assistant comptrollers, and seven chief superintendents, were among the 29 high-ranking officials sacked for various offences. Former Comptroller General, Hameed Ali, identified the lack of integrity as the primary challenge faced by the Nigeria Customs Service when announcing the termination of 2,000 customs officials in 2020 for involvement in corrupt practices. Despite these actions, successive governments have chosen to overlook numerous investigations into the Nigeria Customs Service.
“In a 2022 undercover investigation of the booming petroleum products smuggling, “TheCable found that all one needs to move petrol with ease to the Benin Republic is to pay N67,000 for a ‘pass’ issued by unidentified officials of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).” In the Cross River-Cameroun border covered in the investigation, TheCable revealed that “smugglers moving fuel from Cross River to Cameroon operate under the organized cartel known as Nitrate Union, a branch of the United Border Across, the umbrella union that oversees the smuggling of all kinds of commodities across the Cameroon border.” The report further showed that the “chairman of the smuggler’s association is in charge to go and see customs, see immigration; all the forces; they have an amount they will collect and share within themselves.”
“An earlier undercover investigation of the Customs Service, in 2015, also by Fisayo Soyombo for TheCable newspaper, exposed the criminal operations of gangs of customs and other border and security agencies, including police, SSS, NDLEA, clearing agents, and banks complicit in the lucrative business of forgery, bribery and corruption to aid importers circumvent official processes and levies. The investigation demonstrated the existence of a well-oiled corruption in the Apapa Office of the Nigeria Ports Authority that results to colossal revenue loss to Nigeria. According to the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), Nigeria loses up to $1.95 billion in government revenue and $8.15 billion in private sector revenue annually due to corruption at the Nigerian ports.
“But the Nigeria Customs is not only known for compromising and selling intelligence to smugglers in order to facilitate the entry of illegal goods. It is also notorious for blatantly disregarding Nigeria’s public sector financial regulation rules. The 2019 report of the Auditor-General of the Federation highlighted numerous issues concerning the financial reporting and accountability of the Nigeria Customs Service. These issues included the failure to remit levies into the federation account, the irregular granting of waivers to companies, the irregular granting of waivers to staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the under-remittance of import duties and fees.
“These actions clearly demonstrate a serious abuse of financial rules and an abuse of power by the Customs Service. According to the auditor-general’s report, of the N115.64 billion collected on behalf of the federation representing CET levies, levies for wheat flour, wheat grain, rice levies, and 100% cigarette levies, the Nigeria customs failed to remit N65.51b to any known account and did not respond to audit queries regarding this finding. Another N78.48 billion was granted as waivers by Nigeria Customs “with no evidence of applications, authorizations/approvals, certificates of Capital Allowance granted to the Companies, etc. before the waivers were granted to such companies.”
“The report also found that Nigeria Customs Service granted a N17.4m illegally to 14 staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs without any FAAC approval leading. In another case, the audit discovered a huge under-remittance of N1.53 billion by the Nigeria customs out of import duties and fees that it collected in the 2019 financial year. The biggest worry for Nigerians and the agencies responsible for oversight of the Nigeria Customs Service is the management’s failure to respond to the audit findings.”
READ MORE: Undercover as a Smuggler
On February 20, FIJ released the trailer of “Undercover as a Smuggler”, an investigation by ‘Fisayo Soyombo, its founder and editor-in-chief, and followed it up with a multimedia story and a 16-minute documentary.
Soyombo has so far publicly called the attention of the NCS to more evidence of customs’ corruption every working day for a month. The authorities have kept quiet.
Good morning, @CustomsNG. This is Rao International Hotel and Suites, Km 15 Sango-Idi-Iroko Road. Located along the Idi-Iroko smuggling route, it is owned by one of your men, Najeem Akorede, popularly called ‘Najeem Custom’. For context, this is like policemen establishing hotels… pic.twitter.com/KozB0muBmo
— 'Fisayo Soyombo (@fisayosoyombo) March 15, 2024
READ ALSO: REPORTER’S DIARY: Fuel Smuggling Takes Over in Ogun Border Towns
“The latest undercover investigation by Fisayo (Soyombo) detailed how he successfully smuggled 100 bags of banned foreign rice by paying bribes through a syndicate group of smugglers who closely collaborate with high-ranking officials of the Customs service in Abuja,” CHRICED’s statement continued.
“The 16-minute video described in detail how numerous trailers carrying contraband goods, including rice, turkey, and even weapons, terrorist motorcycles, and drugs, pass through Nigeria’s borders without being inspected due to what he described as orders from higher authorities. The two undercover reports on the Customs Service by Fisayo provide conclusive evidence of criminal networks of customs officers working in collaboration with other border and security agencies to sabotage national security for personal gains. It is even more disturbing when the corruption ring is not restricted to junior ranks but involves senior, high-ranking officials who would not hesitate to sell the country for a pot of porridge!
“CHRICED, as a frontline organization committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in Nigeria, is deeply concerned about these latest exposures of corruption involving Nigeria Customs Service. We are convinced that the Minister of Finance, the Board of the Nigeria Customs, and the National Assembly must urgently respond to the EFCC investigation report, undercover investigations by Mr. Soyombo of 2015 and 2024, investigations by TheCable newspaper, and various audit reports of the Auditor General of the Federation regarding the culture of corruption and impunity in the Nigeria Customs Service.”
CHRICED recommended the immediate suspension and prosecution of the corrupt customs officers identified in the EFCC investigation, along with the recovery of the entire bribe amounts they received.
The non-profit organisation also called for the prompt investigation, arrest and prosecution of all officers implicated in the recent undercover investigation by Fisayo Soyombo. “Specifically, we propose a thorough inquiry into the accusations of smuggling of foreign rice and other prohibited items by a senior customs officer in the video featuring the infamous smuggler, IBD Dende, who was shown threatening to kill a customs officer,” the CHRICED stated on Thursday.
CHRICED also wants a transparent and timely review of the annual auditor general’s report and recommendations concerning the misuse of power by the Nigeria Customs and the immediate implementation of other audit actions, including sanctions against the comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs regarding non-remittance of levies, taxes and other infractions of established public sector financial regulations.
“It is disgraceful and concerning that, despite the recent exposure of a massive bribery scandal involving senior officers, the Tinubu Administration has not taken significant action to hold those responsible accountable. We call on the President to take decisive measures to provide the necessary leadership in the fight against corruption,” said CHRICED.
“The absence of accountability and transparency in our government has created a culture of impunity where those in power believe they can act without facing consequences. This erosion of public trust in our institutions has hindered our nation’s progress. Corruption affects every Nigerian, from the lack of essential services to the erosion of our democratic values.
“To address this crisis, we must hold our leaders responsible for their actions and demand transparency in all government transactions. We must support the efforts of anti-corruption agencies and ensure they have the necessary resources and independence to effectively investigate and prosecute corrupt individuals.”
Our Stories
VIDEO: ‘Voting Materials Spotted’ Inside PDP-Branded Car One Day to Oyo LG Elections
FULL LIST: Fubara, Tompolo… 166 People on EFCC Wanted List
Keyamo: Airlines Endanger Passengers’ Lives by Falsifying Maintenance Reports
ALERT: PECO, a Ponzi Scheme, Rebrands After Carting Away Victims’ Money
Protests As Ireland Fails to Prosecute Cops Who Killed Nigerian in Dublin
SPOTTED: Scandalous Email From Wole Olanipekun’s Firm That Ended a Lawyer’s Career
Negligence or Abortion? Ilaro Poly Student’s Death Stirs Controversy
Telecom Companies Consider Raising Tariffs Amid Economic Crisis
Olajumoke Badmus Refuses to Deliver Customer’s Clothes After Receiving Payment
Parents Suspect Foul Play in 4-Year-Old’s Death at Abuja School
Subscribe
Be the first to receive special investigative reports and features in your inbox.