The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has disbanded the Service Compliance Team of the Service and replaced them with a new one called Strike Force Team.
According to NSC, the compliance team is an ad hoc team set up to complement the Federal Operations Units of the NSC in order to vigorously crack down on all forms of smuggling activities nationwide with particular focus on the enforcement of non-importation of rice and vehicles through the land borders.
The compliance team is divided into three: Team A for Western Axis, B for Northern axis and C for Eastern axis. But, in a circular dated January 29, 2018 with number NCS/ADM/MGT/015/ S.31/C/VOL.14 and signed by Deputy Comptroller General Enforcement Investment and Inspection (EI&I), Dangaladima A.A., the CGC disbanded the service compliance team and replaced it with the strike force team.
“I am directed to inform you that the CGC compliance team is hereby dissolved and replaced with a strike force team comprising operations officers, surveillance, ICT and Drivers.
“All officers of the dissolved team are to report back to their respective area commands/Zones from where they were, withdraw with immediate e ect and submit all Arms and Ammunitions in their possession back to where they were signed (sic).
“Proper handling and taking over of all vehicles, seizures and other items between the defunct compliance team and zonal commanders of newly constituted strike force team must be ensured,” the document read in part.
According to the circular, the strike force team would be headed by a Deputy Controller of Customs, Abubakar U.A and assisted by Assistant Controller Kolade. R.K and Jimado D.K, who is to serve as staff officer. It will be recalled that there were allegations that the compliance team was responsible for the shooting that led to a serious body injury of a pregnant woman in Ota, Ogun State, two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, investigation by LEADERSHIP showed that the CGC was not satisfied with the activities of the compliance team in checking smuggling in the country. A source who craved anonymity yesterday said that the CGC was not satisfied with the increased rate of smuggling of banned items across the borders.
