The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi

  • Buhari accepts Abdullahi’s resignation from Customs

    Buhari accepts Abdullahi’s resignation from Customs

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday accepted the resignation of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi.

    Abdullahi is billed to proceed on his voluntary retirement from Tuesday, August 18.

    The Customs boss had earlier written a letter dated August 3 to the President notifying him of his desire to proceed on voluntary retirement from Tuesday.

    President Buhari’s approval of Abdullahi’s request was dated August 14 and personally signed by the President.

    In the letter, the President thanked the NCS boss for his services to the county in the last six years.

    The President’s letter, titled “Voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service” read: “Dear, Alhaji D.I. Abdullahi. I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter Ref. No. NCS/ADM/HQ/P. 35802 of 3rd August, 2015 conveying your decision to voluntarily retire from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from Tuesday, 18th August, 2015.

    “I note with appreciation your services to this nation, especially as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service in the last six (6) years.

    “Accordingly, I hereby approve your voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from 18th August 2015.

    “I wish you the very best in your future endeavours.

    “Yours sincerely, Muhammadu Buhari.”

    The Nigeria Customs boss had in his letter to the President thanked him for the confidence and trust reposed on him since he (Buhari) was inaugurated on May 29.

    Stressing that he would be six years in office as the Comptroller-General of the NCS by August 18, he recalled that on assumption of office, he articulated six-point agenda which he vigorously pursued.

  • Buhari accepts Nigeria Customs chief’s resignation

    Buhari accepts Nigeria Customs chief’s resignation

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday accepted the resignation of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi.

    Abdullahi is billed to proceed on his voluntary retirement from Tuesday.

    The Customs boss had earlier written a letter dated August 3 to the President notifying him of his desire to proceed on voluntary retirement from Tuesday.

    President Buhari’s approval of Abdullahi’s request was dated August 14 and personally signed by the President.

    In the letter, the President thanked the NCS boss for his services to the county in the last six years.

    The President’s letter, titled: “Voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service” read: “Dear, Alhaji D.I. Abdullahi. I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter Ref. No. NCS/ADM/HQ/P. 35802 of 3rd August, 2015 conveying your decision to voluntarily retire from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from Tuesday, 18th August, 2015.

    “I note with appreciation your services to this nation, especially as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service in the last six (6) years.

    “Accordingly, I hereby approve your voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from 18th August 2015.

    “I wish you the very best in your future endeavours.

    “Yours sincerely, Muhammadu Buhari.”

    The Nigeria Customs boss had in his letter to the President thanked him for the confidence and trust reposed on him since he (Buhari) was inaugurated on May 29.

    Stressing that he would be six years in office as the Comptroller-General of the NCS by August 18, Abdullahi recalled that on assumption of office, he articulated six-point agenda which he vigorously pursued.

    According to him, the agenda had positively impacted on the efficiency and performance of officers of the service and had drastically changed the negative perception of the service.

     

     

  • Why PAAR was introduced, by Customs chief

    Why PAAR was introduced, by Customs chief

    COMPTROLLER-GENERAL,  Nigeria Customs Service  (NCS) Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi  yesterday in Singapore told the international business community that the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), a risk management tool that replaced Risk Assessment Report (RAR) was introduced to boost the economy.

    He added that it was also instill discipline in the service, to facilitate trade, build better business relationship, transform cargo processes and see to the free flow of trade at the nation’s sea ports based on the global trend.

    Represented by a Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Akinade Adewuyi at the Nigeria-Singapore Business and Investment Forum (NSBIF),  he said the implementation of the initiative has helped to boost the revenue profile of the Federal Government.

    NSBIF was held to boost trade and promote bilateral relation between the two countries.

    The role of the NCS in facilitating trade and promoting business at the nation’s sea ports, air ports and border stations was appreciated by the business community at the forum.

    Speakers at the forum organised by the Nigeria High Commission in collaboration with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and International Enterprise (IE) Singapore said they were happy over the succes of PAAR.

    Theme of the second edition of the forum  is Deepening Nigeria-Singapore Bilateral Relation.

  • ANLCA supports Dikko’s trade facilitation programme

    The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has said it will continue to support trade facilitation programme of the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi to boost revenues generation and sustain the economy.

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ANLCA said, was contributing N30 billion into the federation account before Dikko was appointed. But with the modernisation Dikko has brought into the service, ANLCA said, the revenue generation has increased geometrically from N30 billion to N100 billion monthly.

    ANLCA said it was happy that the Customs boss has trained his officers and men of the service for greater revenue generation and trade facilitation at the nation’s sea ports and border stations.

    Speaking with The Nation, ANLCA’s immediate past Chairman, Tin Can Island Chapter, Mr Kayode Farinto said Dikko is one of the few government officials that key into the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and gave the scheme the necessary support.

    Farinto said the allegation that Dikko has betrayed President Jonathan by supporting and sponsoring the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari against President Jonathan in the coming presidential polls is unfounded

    Farinto urges President Jonathan, Nigerians and other stakeholders in the maritime industry to disregard the allegation, which he described as baseless and cannot be substantiated.

    ANLCA, and other stakeholders, Farinto said, know the good role the Customs boss has played in ensuring that President Jonathan’s transformation agenda is implemented and carried to the letter at the ports.

    “His role alone has made Mr. President’s tenure to be the best in the area of revenue generation and trade facilitation, even some of us that are Dikko’s critics gave him kudos,” he said.

  • Customs boss restates ban on roadblocks

    THE Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, has restated that the ban on roadblocks and checkpoints by men of the service in the hinterland within the country is still in force.

    Abdullahi restated this when he received the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Ima Niboro, on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said officers of the service could only intercept vehicles in the hinterland based on credible information, either that the vehicle carried contraband or smuggled goods.

    He restated his stand on banning of roadblocks because “it is not dignified and it is not in our character to mount roadblocks in the hinterland.

    “Our job is at the border; it is 40 kilometres radius within the border area where our officers are allowed to mount road blocks to check whatever goods that are brought into the country.

  • Customs redeploys over 200 officers

    NO fewer than 200 officers from the Tin-Can Island port have been redeployed by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi.

    Sources said many of those affected were Assistant Superintendents of Customs.

    “Two hundred officers at the level of Assistant Superintendents of Customs Grade two were redeployed, but I don’t know if it is as a result of the CGC’s visit to the port last week or not,” the officer said.

    Meanwhile, the Customs has vowed to take economic sabotage and national security serious.

    Speaking at a meeting with leaders of freight forwarding associations at Tin Can port, Controller, Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), Mr. Tajudeen Olanrewaju, said cases of “cut and lock” would be treated as economic sabotage and national security threat, warning that any Customs officer who flouts the directive would be sanctioned.

  • Dikko arrests two Customs officers in Lagos

    The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi yesterday arrested two of his senior officers at the Lagos ports.

    According to sources, the officers were allegedly arrested at Tin-Can Island port for delaying cargo clearance and ‘extorting’importers and their clearing agents.

    The alleged arrested officers are the Head of the terminal, Mrs Jane Soboiki and Chief Superintendent of Customs, Ejesi.

    The activities of the officers, the source said, were against the trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government hence, the order from Dikko that they should be detained at the Customs Enforcement Unit at the port and be queried.

    Dikko, the source said, paid an unscheduled visit to the port following a tip-off by the Association of the Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) that some of his officers at the Tin Can port were frustrating the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) recently introduced by the Federal Government and unnecessarily delaying cargo release from the port.

    Customs Public Relations Officer, Mr Chris Osunkwo confirmed that the officers were queried for ‘un-procedural activities’ at the port by the CG.

    “The officers were accused of un-procedural activities at the port and issues relating to non-trade facilitation programme of the government. The officers were taken to Enforcement Unit and they were still there as at the time I left office. The officers are the Head of the Terminal Mrs Soboiki and Chief Superintendent of Customs, Ejesi,” Osunkwo said.

  • Dikko urges men to be diligent

    Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi has urged his men to be more diligent and committed to work amid plans to generate N1.2 trillion this year.

    He also warned revenue offenders to desist from their illegal activities because hard time awaits them this year.

    He said this year is full of challenges, urging Customs officers to be patriotic in carrying out their responsibilities.

    Abdullahi promised sustained commitment to ongoing reforms and modernisation, adding that the NCS had never had it good in technological transformation than last year when it developed Nigeria Integrated Custom Information System(NCIS) which has started working smoothly.

    He said: “Today the modern Customs is about trade facilitation. We want to prove to the Federal Government that we have come of age and we have built the technological competence that can stand the test of time.”

    The CG explained that part of the board’s resolutions was the elevation of senior officers to managerial positions, following the voluntary retirement of three Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs), who were also members of the board.

  • Dikko fires 13 Customs officers over ‘missing’ containers

    Dikko fires 13 Customs officers over ‘missing’ containers

    Thirteen Customs officers have been relieved of their jobs for allegedly sabotaging the efforts of the Comptroller-General Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi in making the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) work.

    The PAAR was introduced last month after the Federal Government declined to renew the contract of the three service providers handling Destination Inspection at the ports.

    The affected officers, it was learnt, were dismissed at the Tin Can Island Command in Apapa, Lagos, last week for taking advantage of the new regime to “fly” 40 containers out of the ports without proper examination and necessary documentation.

    “Fly” in maritime parlance is stealing of cargoes.

    The goods, sources said, were worth over N150 million.

    Contacted, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Tahir Musa confirmed the sack of the officers, saying 14 officers were fingered in the sabotage, but one was freed and re-instated after investigation.

    While addressing stakeholders at the Apapa Customs Command last week, Musa explained the challenges facing the Customs in implementing the PAAR. He said more than 99,300 Risk Assessment Reports (RAR) were transferred to the Customs by the former service providers, adding that the huge number of the RARs is creating problems in the issuance of PAAR on imported goods.

    “You are aware that the first PAAR was generated by Customs within 58 minutes of upload, but now, because of these 99,000 plus, we found out that PAARs are not coming out as anticipated, that is the reason we are here today, to tell you the problem we are facing.”

    He appealed to the stakeholders to support the Customs to sustain the PAAR regime, saying it is aimed at facilitating trade and reduce the time spent on cargo release from the ports.

    The Assistant Comptroller in charge of Modernisation and Research, Iya Abubakar, alleged that some of the 99,300 RARs were fabricated, adding that some saboteurs were trying to take advantage of the new situation to create problems.

    He alleged that most of the RARs were generated illegally after the Customs had taken over from the service providers.

    “From Apapa, I have seen RARs that were presented and were generated on December 2, wondering how that could be possible. “We know it is not true, but all the same, since you are complaining, management is saying that we should go ahead, but we know it is a lie, the pipe was closed on November 30, so how did the service providers generate your own RAR on December 2,” he querried.

    He said: “Importers who have already processed their documents and whose RARs are pending in the banks and could not be transmitted to NICIS platform as at November 30, 2013 by the service providers, are directed to access their RARs from the authorised dealer banks and commence processing of their goods.”

    Abubakar urged stakeholders to take advantage of this opportunity and get their cargoes released on or before January 31, 2014.

  • Agents, importers seek officer’s removal at Tin Can

    • Abdullahi urges Customns to prepare for destination inspection

    No fewer than 200 clearing agents and importers at the Tin Can Port in Apapa, Lagos have protested to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, to redeploy a female officer for allegedly frustrating their business.

    They made the call when Abdullahi toured Customs formations in Lagos last week.

    The importers and clearing agents led by some of their chapter executives, who carried placards, shouted at the top of their voices while demanding for the removal of the female senior officer.

    Addressing the protesters, the Customs boss assured them that the allegations against the officer have been brought to his table and that he would look into the matter.

    “If you ask me to remove her now, who do you want to fill up the vacancy? There are channels through which you can forward your complaints, but be rest assured that I am going to look into this matter,” Dikko promised.

    In another development, Abdullahi has urged officers and men of the service to prepare for the taking over of destination inspection next year, from service providers.

    Dikko gave the order during his tour of some Customs formations in Lagos.

    The Customs boss urged officers to be thorough in screening goods for clearance.

    “We should gain our independence peacefully and we must succeed with this commitment,” he said.

    Dikko promised to increase remuneration of officers to make them more comfortable and diligent in their duties.

    He warned officers against gratification, saying this would affect the yearly revenue target of the service.

    He said what is due to the Federal Government in terms of revenue must be collected.

    “No good thing comes out of corruption,” he said.

    Dikko said officers should convince importers that the service had come of age and could not be influenced by corruption.

    The operators of the destination inspection scheme are to hand over to Customs by the end of this year.