No New Dismissal of Officials, Says Customs

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stated that the service has not dismissed any officer besides the one it undertook last and which was duly reported.

The clarification, the NCS said, was necessitated “by a misleading publication by a section of the media, concerning a supposed dismissal of 59 officers by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd).”

The misleading report, according to a statement issued by the NCS’
Acting Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah quoted a circular dated January 19, 2017, signed by the Acting Comptroller (Discipline).

“Obviously, the originator of this story came across an otherwise internal communication and without verification, went to press with a story that is capable of causing panic, fear with negative consequences on the morale of the workforce,” Attah said

The statement noted that sometime last year, “these officers were served with various disciplinary actions ranging from warning, retirement to dismissal for different offences.”
The added that the Public Relations unit then issued a press statement on the development which was widely reported by the print, electronic and online media.

“It is therefore, unfortunate for a reporter to stumble on an internal communication of an organisation and rush to press without seeking for clarification.”

According to him, “the avoidance of doubt, the Service has not dismissed any officer since the one duly reported last year. The story is false and represents a repetition of same story delivered as new.
“While the NCS will not hesitate to discipline erring officers, such action is usually painstakingly driven through all well established disciplinary procedures.

“Accordingly, all service personnel and the general public are