The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has condemned the confrontation by its personnel with Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) in AYA Roundabout Abuja, saying it has launched a “thorough investigation, and appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken to forestall future occurrences.”
The NCS, which said in a statement on Tuesday night by its Spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, that it “unequivocally dissociate itself from the actions of these officers,” said the incident contradicts its “values and operational standards.”
The full statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media showing some officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in a confrontation with Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO). The NCS acknowledges that the event occurred on Friday, 24 May 2024, at AYA Roundabout, Abuja VIO Office. The officers involved in this regrettable incident are NCS personnel attached to the Customs Mechanical Unit in Karu Barracks, Abuja.
“The Service wishes to express its deepest concern and empathy for those affected by this regrettable incident. Furthermore, the NCS unequivocally dissociate itself from the actions of these officers. Their condemned behaviour, which appears to be self-motivated, is under thorough investigation, and appropriate disciplinary measures will be taken to forestall future occurrences.
“It is essential to state that this incident contradicts the values and operational standards of the NCS. Such behaviour undermines one of the key policy thrusts of the Comptroller-General of Customs, which is to foster collaboration with sister security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians and their properties.
“The NCS, under the leadership of CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and his Management Team, strongly condemns such conduct and does not tolerate any actions that jeopardise the commitment to professionalism and inter-agency cooperation. The Service remains steadfast in its mission to generate revenue, facilitate trade, and suppress smuggling to support a more robust and secure economy for all Nigerians.”