Senate, Customs boss Ali set to clash as lawmakers order him to appear in uniform

The Senate and the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Hameed Ali, are on a collision course over what the lawmakers see as disobedience to the Red Chamber by the Customs boss.

The Senate on Thursday summoned Ali, a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army to unfailingly appear before it “in plenary in uniform” of the customs service on Wednesday ( see video below)

The lawmakers are also angry that the Service has failed to heed its directive to halt the implementation of its proposed plan to collect duties on old and new vehicles in the country.

The Customs a day after the Senate issued the directive had said it was resolved to go ahead with the collection of payment of duty on old vehicles.

The establishment insists it would clampdown on defaulters in line with its anti-smuggling drive, once the one month grace period lapses.

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Acting Public Relations Officer of Customs, Joseph Attah, at a press briefing, in Abuja, on Wednesday, urged Nigerians, especially automobile dealers, in possession of old or new vehicles without Customs duty payment, to take advantage of the one-month grace window to pay up and enjoy a 60 per cent rebate across board for vehicles of 2015 model and below.

But unimpressed, the Senate summoned the CG, while calling for drastic action against the DG and the NCS for defying its directive.

The senators who vent their anger during the plenary on Thursday, also called for Ali’s removal for refusing to comply with directives from the Senate.

Ali as a retired army officer may be hamstrung to grant the senators’ wishes to put on the customs uniform, as an unwritten rule in the nation’s armed forces does not allow retired officers to put on the uniforms of other service, especially paramilitary services.

But the senators have over time grumbled, in consonance to complaints by Nigerians and customs personnel as to why President Muhammadu Buhari pick a retired military officer to head the service, rather than from within its hierarchy.

Sen Dino Melaye while speaking on the issue on Tuesday said, “I was thinking the Comptroller General of Customs will react to what the Senate had said that he stop wearing ‘agbada’ up and down and wear the uniform of the Nigerian Custom and be proud of it. Then he will identify and know how to do the work properly”.

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