A retired Customs Chief, Mr. Joseph Alajogun, has lauded the newly appointed acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, saying that the service is poised to regain its lost glory.
Reacting to the recent decoration of Adewale Bashir Adeniyi by Vice President Kashim Shettima, in Abuja, Alajogun, who spoke with journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, said the Customs Service has had to rely on oxygen to breath, battling to remain afloat with gross indiscipline, misconduct and brazen corruption among its ranks and file.
Alajogun, who was famous for mass seizure of smuggled Tokunbo vehicles , trucks, barrels of petroleum products, ammunitions and firearms etc., declared that with the appointment of Adeniyi , discipline, transparency, and accountability would return to the Service.
Alajogun served Oyo/Osun Customs Area Command for several years as Officer In Charge (OC) Operations.
He expressed delight with the appointment of Adeniyi as Customs Service boss, a development he described as a turning point in the life of the nation’s Customs Service.
He however lauded the effort of the immediate past Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Ahmed Ali (rtd), in the areas of staff welfare, including accelerated promotion, increment of salary and emoluments, building and renovation of staff quarters , and revenue generation.
“Yes, he tried. He improved the wages and what have you. The welfare of the officers was taken care of because he promoted them, he gave them good package, salary wise. So they don’t have anything to complain. We did not get something of such when we were there but I appreciate him for that. He gave promotions, he gave out money to them. He has tried, he has really tried despite the fact that it was not his job.”