By: Nneoma Nwogu
A scandal involving the Nigerian Customs Service has come to light, with allegations of N62 billion unremitted funds during the tenure of former Comptroller-General Hameed Ali. The Transparency and Budget Monitoring Group (TBMG) has condemned the alleged under-remittance, describing it as “unfortunate” and calling for an investigation.
The Senate Public Account Committee has initiated an investigation into the matter, giving the current Customs boss, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, a two-week ultimatum to provide a defense against the accusation. The Auditor General’s Report revealed the N62 billion disparity between the NCS’s reported total collection and actual remittance.
According to the report, the NCS reported a total collection of N691 billion for the federation account, but only remitted N629 billion into the account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This development comes amidst concerns over corruption and financial mismanagement within the Nigerian government.
The TBMG is urging the Senate to launch a comprehensive investigation into the outstanding debts and financial discrepancies. The group is also demanding that Hameed Ali be investigated and prosecuted over the alleged under-remittance.
The TBMG’s call for investigation and prosecution aims to ensure transparency and accountability within the Nigerian Customs Service. This is not the first time the Customs Service has been embroiled in a scandal. Recently, some high-ranking officers of the Nigerian Customs Service were suspected in a multi-billion naira corruption scandal [2).
Additionally, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, is under pressure amidst revenue target shortfalls and suspected fraud in the agency ¹. The controversy revolves around allegations of a double standard in Adeniyi’s handling of two senior officers implicated in a financial scam involving N15 billion.
As the investigation unfolds, Nigerians will be watching closely to see how the matter is handled and whether those responsible will be held accountable. The TBMG’s efforts to promote transparency and accountability are crucial in addressing concerns over corruption and financial mismanagement within the Nigerian government.
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