Why Customs Board retires anti-corruption crusader, Abubakar

• …appoints five ACGs, promotes 2,634 others

Barely a year after he was commended for his anti-graft stance in the discharge of his official responsibilities, Assistant Comptrollers General of Customs, Bashir Abubakar, has been compulsorily retired by the Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB).

Abubakar was retired in the latest decision taken by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) based on the approval by its Board even as five Assistant Comptrollers General of Customs (ACGs) were appointed one was dismissed and 2,634 other officers were elevated to new ranks.

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According to the promoted statement by the Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, said on Wednesday, the retirement of the ACG was directed to go on compulsory retirement for acts of negligence.

Abubakar, who was a Controller of Customs  at the Apapa Area Command, in June last year was promoted to ACG after he was said to have rejected $412,000 (about N150 million) bribe given to him by drug traffickers.

His retirement, which Attah stated was approved by the Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) at its 52nd Regular meeting, was announced along with newly appointed five ACGs, namely ACG Mohammed Boyi who heads Training and Coordination; ACG Adewale Adeniyi, the Commandant of the Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada; ACG Jack Ajoku, heading Strategic Research and Policy; ACG Olakunle Oyeleke for Doctrine, Development and Administration; and ACG Emmanuel Edorhe, the Zonal Coordinator for Customs’ Zone ‘C’.

The 2,634 promoted officers had their promotion effective from January 1, 2019.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and Chairman of the NCS Board, Zainab Ahmed, who presided over the meeting, was quoted as saying that decisions taken during the meeting were meant to motivate the personnel and drive better operations of the Service.