By Miracle Egbo
For eight years, Colonel Hammed Ali (retd) the sacked Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs was cesspit of patronage and groveling by exporters , importer and freight forwarders in the country. Even among the rank and file of Nigeria Customs, to negotiate with Alli’s arrogance is a religion for you to be anything in the system. His tenure as the boss of Nigeria Customs wrought in disrespect for the Act establishing the agency, all the rules and regulations embedded in the Act were observed in the breach.
For instance, when he was invited by the 8th Senate as the Comptroller of Customs, CG, to offer explanation on some of the decisions he took, he defied every instruction that he should be in the Customs uniform if he was coming to the floor of the National Assembly. He came on the floor of the National Assembly in another clothe instead of the uniform of the agency even when he was warned not to do so. He was said to have been buoyed by the tacit support he enjoyed by the former President Mohammed Buhari who, in the first place ignored the rules and regulation in the appointment of CG of customs despite public outcry by the maritime stakeholders that his appointment was an aberration.
Besides, some analysts of the maritime sector are of the opinion that the eight years of Ali wrought a lot of damaging changes in the agency that would take years to be reconstructed in order to move it to where it is supposed to be. There is strong allegation that since his tenure as the CG of Customs, most of the contraband and overtime goods seized were said to have been sent to the northern parts of the country for distribution to the Internally Displace People, IDP no thanks to the raging terrorists agitation in the region, instead of auctioning it as required by the Acts establishing the agency. And the process of distributing the goods to the IDPs had the trappings of the more you look the less you see because the said goods in most case developed wings to perch in various homes of those saddled with the distribution under the Eagle eye of Ali.
The question on lips of the maritime stakeholders is who and who was the cars given to by Ali and for what reason? Bags of rice, clothes and other valuables seized by the agency under watch of Ali ended up in the hands of private individuals for onward distribution to the IDPs scattered in the northern region of the country without due diligence as always the case in matters like this in the past. Maritime stakeholders are taken aback that for eight years in saddle, Ali could not give adequate account of the cars seized for the years he held sway as the CG of the Nigerian Customs, accepted that the perishable seized could have been given out to IDPs, they argued could be debated but what does not add up, according to them, is what explanation is to be given by Ali for the cars. Information abound that Ali’s tenure as the CG of Nigerian Customs gave birth to the escalation of arms importation via the borders allegedly closed by former President Buhari, and there has been always feeble attempt to rein in the smugglers behind the illicit act.
It is equally on record that for the past eight years that Ali wrought nepotism in the agency that would take years to abate as it is noted that the practice endemic in the agency. Even his feeble critics are of the opinion that juicy postings in the agency had been enjoyed by the officers who are predominately from northern axis, and when there are complaints in this regard, allegedly, such bravery is met with stiff reprimand from his boys in the agency who, according to source, are ready to do anything to be in the good books of Ali.
Another worrisome report oozing out of the eight years of Ali as the CG of Nigerian Customs is the fact that corruption grew in leaps and bounds. Diversion of fuel to neigbouring country was the order of the day in the eight years reign of Ali even when Nigerian borders were supposedly closed by his boss, former President Buhari. Even some officers who were fingered in the corruption ring that dogged the eight years of Ali were left off the hook, allegedly, because they hail from the northern region of the country, practice that was the holy writs of the Buhari’s administration. It was on record that corruption was walking in four during Ali’s reign but was discussed in hushed tones among rank and files. His reign superintended promotion racketing that was the order of the day in the system. Some officers who are due for promotion relied on destiny not hard work for them to be elevated in the agency.
Some stakeholders are of the opinion that Ali’s eight years reign made the agency to engage in some contractual agreement that would render the agency redundant that would lead to the sack of officers in the agency. For instance, the spurious concession discussed and delivered under the watch of Ali to the Republic of China is one agreement that would bog the agency even if it is revoked by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Documents gleaned by this medium revealed that the concession agreement between The Federal Government of Nigeria and The Republic of China reeks of corruption and Ali is said to be neck deep in negotiation that is on the verge of sacking many Customs officers when it takes off.
Ali is an arrogance lost to the agency that is not regrettable especially among the ranks and files who saw the raw part of the unusual CG of Nigerian Customs.
