The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has summoned the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, to appear before it over allegations that some top officials of the service have refused to retire despite reaching their due dates.
The summons follows a petition by the Obasi-Pherson Help Foundation, which alleged that some Assistant Comptrollers and Comptrollers have bluntly refused to leave the service after attaining the mandatory retirement age.
The chairman of the Committee, Mike Etaba, emphasized that the CG has a duty to explain the situation to Nigerians. “Nigerians deserve to know the truth, and it’s only the CG who can clarify this,” he said.
Etaba stressed the importance of ensuring government agencies function effectively, especially when many youths are seeking employment. “The committee is concerned that some officials who have reached retirement age are still holding onto their positions, denying younger officers the opportunity to advance in their careers,” he explained.
He further noted that the committee would investigate the matter thoroughly to ensure that justice is served. “We will not tolerate any form of indiscipline or disregard for the law,” Etaba warned.
The Customs Boss is expected to appear before the committee next week to provide explanations on the matter. The committee has also invited other stakeholders, including the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, to appear before it.
The development is coming at a time when the Nigeria Customs Service is undergoing reforms aimed at enhancing its operational efficiency and effectiveness. The service has been working to improve its revenue generation capacity, strengthen its anti-smuggling operations, and enhance its service delivery to the public.
It remains to be seen how the Customs Boss will respond to the allegations and what measures the house committee will take to address the issue.
