N12BN BRIBERY SCANDAL: EFCC Urged To Prosecute Indicted Nigeria Customs Officials

Oru Leonard 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been urged to prosecute seven top officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) who were allegedly involved in a bribery scandal to the tune of N12bn.

An exclusive investigative report by PREMIUM TIMES had exposed that the high-ranking officers of NCS indicted for bribery at border posts last December were grilled by the EFCC, and parts of the bribes they received were confiscated. The report, however, disclosed that the accused officials were not prosecuted and are back to their duty posts.

Reacting to the development during an anti-corruption radio programme, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE, produced by PRIMORG, on Wednesday, 17 April 2024, in Abuja, the Coordinator and Research Team Leader, Yadei Initiative, Comrade Inyanda Emmanuel, called on the EFCC to commence prosecution of the indicted officials.

Emmanuel faulted the anti-graft agency’s inactions following the indictment, emphasizing that the first step should have been to completely excuse the seven senior officers from their duties while the investigation lasted.

He noted that the rot in Nigeria Customs starts right from the personnel recruitment process. He added that political influence was fundamentally responsible for EFCC treating corruption cases against the Customs officers with levity.

“It’s embarrassing, it’s alarming, and it’s a way of trying to internalize corruption or make corruption a tradition. I’m so worried, and it is high time that all the anti-graft agencies – EFCC ICPC, begin to be accountable to the citizens.

“The fundamental problem is political influence. There’s political influence on the part of both institutions, EFCC and Customs. Somebody quenched the fire. The body language is very clear. People investigated, caught, and restored to jobs is unacceptable.

“The first step is to sanction and investigate the officials. They are to be relieved of their job until the outcome of the investigation is genuinely satisfied. If found guilty, the law takes its course. This is the way to go, and not shielding them under the same cover of customs,” Emmanuel stressed.

He said Nigeria Customs Service needs to make integrity, accountability, transparency, meritocracy, and whistleblowing key components of its operation to make the expected progress and reach the desired height and, at the same time, urging citizens to live up to their responsibility by holding leaders to account.

On his part, Investigative Journalist with Premium Times, Qosim Suleiman joined the call for EFCC to prosecute top officials of the Nigeria Customs who were indicted in a “robust” EFCC investigation for taking bribes paid by smugglers importing and exporting contraband goods through the Nigerian borders.

He questioned the EFCC’s approach, saying, “The EFCC started their job well. However, the question the EFCC has been unable to answer is how these arrests were made between December and January. Three months later, the EFCC has not been able to prosecute. Why have the officials been allowed to go back to their duties?”.

Suleiman disclosed that the prosecution will go a long way to serve as a deterrent to others in the public sector, as well as help the nation shore up scarce revenue for development and the wellbeing of the people.

He explained that” At least 40 NCS personnel, most of them in the service’s highest hierarchy, have been indicted in a robust EFCC investigation into the proceeds of bribes paid to customs officials by smugglers importing and exporting contraband goods through the Nigerian borders.

“At least seven of these officials were detained by the EFCC for days late last year – with some of them spending the festive period in detention.

“One of the officers involved in this saga is Kayode Kolade, the Comptroller Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone C, Port Harcourt. The anti-graft agency traced N9.5 billion, suspected to be bribes from smugglers, to him. Recently, he was seen decorating junior officers,” Suleiman said.

On her part, PRIMORG’s Program Manager, Dr Adaobi Obiabunmuo also joined calls for Ola Olukoyede-led EFCC to look into the investigations by Premium Times indicting top NCS personnel of receiving bribes from smugglers at Nigerian borders.

A Daily Trust’s report on Thursday, 29 February 2024, confirmed the probe of seven customs officers allegedly involved in an N12bn bribery scandal. The report also disclosed that no charges have been pressed against them by the EFCC as they are currently at their respective duty posts.

Public Conscience is a syndicated weekly anti-corruption radio program PRIMORG uses to draw government and citizens’ attention to corruption and integrity issues in Nigeria.

The program has the support of the MacArthur Foundation.

(PRIMORG)