Senate Commiserates with Customs over Death of Deputy Comptroller in NASS

The Senate through its committee on Customs and Excise Duties, has commiserated with men and officers of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over demise of Deputy Comptroller Etop Andrew Essien at the National Assembly on Tuesday. DC Essien’s death happened while making presentation before the House Committee on Public Accounts. In a personally signed message of condolence, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Duties, Senator Isah Jibrin (APC Kogi East) , said the death of DC Essien was shocking, more so, while performing national duty at the House of Representatives wing of the National Assembly . “That the deceased died while carrying out important assignment before the House Committee on Public Accounts, shows that he gave his all, to Nigeria generally and the Nigeria Customs in particular . “The service of such a dedicated public officer , must definitely not be allowed to go in vain . “On behalf of the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Duties, Icommiserate with the Comptroller – General of Customs, Mr Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, entire officers and men of customs and most importantly, the family of the deceased . “I pray God to grant the soul of the deceased , eternal rest and his family , the fortitude to bear the sudden and irreparable loss “, he said .

Customs Auctions 462 Seized Vehicles For N556m

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a successful outcome from its ongoing e-auction, raking in a substantial N556.74 million from the sale of 462 impounded vehicles. Dismissing rumours of impropriety, the NCS refuted claims by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) 100 Compliance team, which had accused the e-auction committee of engaging in a monumental fraud. According to Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim, the National Coordinator of the Compliance Team, the committee allegedly allotted over 300 impounded vehicles to a single individual at the remarkably low rate of N10,000 per vehicle. However, the NCS National Public Relations Officer, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, countered these accusations in a statement, revealing that 13,605 applicants registered on the e-auction portal during five successful bidding windows.  Out of the 476 impounded vehicles uploaded, 462 found new owners, resulting in a revenue of N556,738,736 for the government. Maiwada strongly denied any fraudulent activities or underhand dealings within the e-auction process, emphasizing the NCS’s commitment to accountability and transparency.  He expressed concern over the serious allegations, asserting that the NCS operates within the confines of the law, adhering strictly to established guidelines for disposing of seized/overtime goods. In response to claims of allotting vehicles to a single individual, Maiwada stated, “This is entirely false, misguided, and spurious.” He also refuted the suggestion of a token sum of N10,000 collected as duties, emphasizing that such claims were misleading and a misrepresentation of facts. The NCS reaffirmed its dedication to maintaining a high level of integrity in the ongoing e-auction process, designed to provide a fair playing field for all Nigerians.