Lawmakers summon Customs Comptroller-General over top official’s alleged refusal to retire   

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has summoned the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, over allegations that some top officials of the service have refused to retire despite surpassing their retirement dates.

Adeniyi has been directed to appear before the committee on February 18.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Head of Media for the Public Petitions Committee, House of Representatives, Chooks Oko.

The Comptroller-General was summoned in response to a petition alleging that certain officials within the service have exceeded their retirement age but continue to hold their positions.

Need for Clarity   

• According to Oko, the Obasi-Pherson Help Foundation petitioned the 10th House, claiming that some assistant comptrollers and comptrollers were due for retirement but had allegedly refused to leave the service.

“The affected officers were identified as Assistant Comptrollers Imam, Umar, and Egwu, as well as Comptrollers Awe, Fatia, and Faith,” he stated.   

• The House committee emphasized that Adeniyi is duty-bound to clarify the situation and provide transparency regarding the workforce of the Customs Service.

“Nigerians deserve to know the truth, and only the Comptroller-General can provide clarity on the matter,” Oko added.   

• The Chairman of the Committee on Public Petitions, Mike Etaba, reaffirmed that lawmakers have a responsibility to ensure all government agencies function effectively and without bias.

“In this era, when many of our youths are seeking employment, it would be unfair for those due for retirement to refuse to step down.   

“That is not to say we will take sides—far from it. We evaluate each case based on merit, ensuring that justice is served at all times,” Etaba said.  

Related Development   

In a separate development, the committee also threatened to order the arrest of the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Bisoye Coker-Odusote, if she fails to appear before it to respond to allegations regarding non-payment for a state-of-the-art software development project.

Chairman Etaba expressed disapproval over the continuous absence of the NIMC Director-General despite repeated invitations from the lawmakers.

“If she fails to appear at the next hearing, we will have no option but to request the Inspector-General of Police to compel her attendance,” he warned.   

He further stressed that no government official should disregard constituted authority with such levity.