The House of Representatives has ordered its Committees on Customs and Excise, alongside Defence, to jointly probe the operations and activities of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) across the nation’s borders over alleged complicity in aiding smuggling and involvement in brutality against Nigerians.
This directive was given during a plenary session on Wednesday, adding that the Committees on Defence and Customs and Excise should also examine the role of military personnel attached to Customs patrols and ensure their operations comply with legal frameworks and human rights standards.
The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Sesi Whingan at plenary.
Rep Whingan moved his motion, stating that Section 4 (b, e, and f) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 mandates the NCS to collect revenue, deter smuggling, and safeguard the security of Nigeria’s borders.
The legislator, however, said that rather than combating smuggling, recent investigations revealed that Nigeria Customs Service officials crossing borders were assisting and abetting smuggling.
He informed the House that a SaharaReporters report published on November 18, 2024, revealed what he described as huge smuggling of over 2,000 automobiles carrying 6,500,000kg of rice via Badagry, reportedly under the supervision of Customs agents.
He further claimed that footage published by investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo revealed Customs personnel’s cooperation in the unlawful activities.
Whingan said besides the allegations of aiding smuggling, men of the Customs have been reported over cases of brutality against citizens who tried to document and expose their illegal activities.
He said reports of brutality have emerged, including an incident along the Badagry-Seme Expressway on December 1, 2024, where officers from the Customs Service, in collaboration with soldiers, allegedly assaulted two transporters, Taofeek Olatunbosun and Rafiu Abdelmalik.
“The victims were suspected of documenting smuggling activities, leading to threats against their lives and a standoff that required intervention from residents and police”, he said.
The lawmaker said smuggling has severe economic consequences, including undermining local industries, reducing government revenues, promoting unfair trade practices, and flooding markets with substandard and potentially harmful products.
He further said that the actions of some officers within the Customs Service contravened its core mandate, eroded public trust and raised concerns about the oversight of joint security operations involving military personnel.