Customs Denies Dismissing any Officer in 2017

The Nigeria Customs Service said it had not dismissed any officer in 2017.

Reacting to a media report that the service had dismissed 59 officers in 2017, its Acting Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday that dismissal in the service was in 2016.

He said that the misleading report quoted a circular dated January 19, 2017, purportedly signed by Acting Comptroller, Discipline.

Attah explained sometimes in 2016, some officers were served with various disciplinary actions ranging from warning and retirement to dismissal, for different offences.

According to him, the Public Relations Unit of the service had earlier issued a statement on the development, which was widely reported by the print, electronic and online media.

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

“It is therefore unfortunate for a reporter to stumble on an internal communication of an organisation and publish it without seeking clarification.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the service has not dismissed any officer since the one duly reported in 2016. The story is false and represents a repetition of same story, delivered as new.

“All service personnel and the general public are advised to discountenance the misleading report.”

He said that it was a routine in the service of keeping officers and men informed on issues, adding that the Acting Comptroller, Discipline, had only compiled the names of all officers affected in 2016 by the disciplinary action for circulation to all customs formations across the country.

Attah said the notification was for serving officers and men in keeping with the service’s pre-emptive measures to deter any affected officer who may choose to hang around to engage in illegalities.

He said that the NCS would not hesitate to discipline erring officers, adding that such action was usually painstakingly driven through all well-established disciplinary procedures.