House of Reps orders investigation into allegation that Customs officers are involved in smuggling, activities
House of Reps orders investigation into allegation that Customs officers are involved in smuggling, activities
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives directed its Committees on Customs and Excise, alongside Defence, to launch a joint investigation into the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the country’s borders.
This inquiry is in response to allegations of the NCS’s involvement in aiding smuggling and engaging in violent actions against Nigerian citizens.
The House also instructed the Committees to scrutinize the role of military personnel attached to Customs patrols, ensuring that their operations adhere to legal and human rights standards.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Sesi Whingan during a plenary session.
In presenting the motion, Rep. Whingan highlighted the responsibilities of the NCS under Section 4 (b, e, and f) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which mandates the service to collect revenue, prevent smuggling, and secure Nigeria’s borders.
However, the lawmaker argued that, contrary to this mandate, recent reports indicated that Customs officers were instead facilitating smuggling activities.
Whingan referenced a report by Sahara Reporters published on November 18, 2024, which exposed a large-scale smuggling operation involving over 2,000 cars and 6,500,000 kg of rice passing through Badagry, allegedly under the supervision of Customs officers.
Additionally, he cited investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo’s videos as evidence of the NCS’s complicity in these illegal activities.
Furthermore, Whingan raised concerns over reports of brutality by Customs officers, particularly in cases where citizens attempting to expose smuggling were targeted.
One such incident occurred on December 1, 2024, along the Badagry-Seme Expressway, where Customs officers, in collaboration with military personnel, allegedly assaulted two transporters—Taofeek Olatunbosun and Rafiu Abdelmalik—who were suspected of documenting smuggling activities.
The victims were reportedly threatened with violence, prompting intervention from local residents and the police.
Whingan stressed the severe economic impacts of smuggling, which he argued harms local industries, deprives the government of crucial revenue, fosters unfair trade practices, and inundates markets with substandard and potentially dangerous products.
He further stated that the actions of some Customs officers not only violate the service’s core mandate but also undermine public trust and raise significant concerns about the effectiveness of joint security operations involving military personnel.
