Nigerian Custom officers to disclose assets

Col Hameed Ali, Comptroller-General of Customs

 The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali Rtd, has directed all officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to make full disclosure of their assets. 

He said the new measure was put in place to push transparency and compliance with the Rule of Law.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the Spokesman of the Service, Wale Adeniyi, the directive on assets declaration was signed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali, and addressed to all Deputy Comptrollers-General, Zonal Coordinators and Customs Area Controllers.

The statement added that all officers had 14 days to comply with the directive and stated this was in compliance with the Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act Cap B1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“Though the Act provides for asset declaration by all bank employees, it also empowers the president to extend its application to other categories of persons,” the statement explained.

Specifically, Section 12 (1) states that “The provision of this Act shall apply to the Comptroller-General, Deputy Comptroller-General, Assistant Comptroller-General, Chief Collector, Principal Collector and other officer, staff or employee of the Nigeria Customs Service as they apply to a Chief Executive or an employee of a Bank,” the circular read in part.

The Comptroller-General stated that the 14 day ultimatum for compliance will be strictly enforced.