THE management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abuja Headquarters, has recalled five senior customs officers who were suspended for miscellaneous acts at the Tin Can Island Port Command, Apapa in Lagos.The officers, who are all Assistant Comptrollers (AC) in the NCS, were handed over indefinite suspension last September for unauthorised release of goods or items worth millions of Naira from the port.The affected officers include Halilu, A. R. with service number 35522, Lawal, B. K., number 35613, Ibrahim, L. G., 39319, Ukonu, A. U., 35501and Shinkafi, M. F., 37497.In a letter dated October 19, 2011 from the Customs Wuse headquarters, Abuja, to the Customs Area Controller, Tin Can command, at the weekend, indicated that the indefinite suspension has been lifted after the review of the investigation on the matter was carried out.The letter with reference NCS/HQ/ASY/306/V.II, titled 'Re: Suspension of Five Assistant Comptrollers from Tin Can Island Port Command', was signed by the Assistant Comptroller General (ACG), Finance, Administration, Trade and Statistics (FATS), Alhaji Idris I. Suleiman.In the letter, the management explained that an investigative panel was inaugurated to carry out a thorough investigation on the matter.However, the panel's white paper showed that the officers were found not culpable of the alleged offence that led to their suspension, as they were exonerated, hence they had been directed to return to the command for deployment.'I am directed to refer to the suspension of the under-listed five Assistant Comptrollers serving in your Area Command and inform you that after a thorough investigation of the case leading to their suspension, they have been found to be innocent of the charges against them. They are therefore exonerated by management after signing undertaking not to allow themselves to be used for loss of revenue in future,' the letter reads.After listing the names of the affected officers, the ACG, FATS added: 'In view of the above, I am to inform you that they have been directed to return to the command for deployment, please'.The officers' travail came as a result of an allegation that some goods, including vehicles, were cleared under their supervision without payment of appropriate import duty to the NCS.As the report got to Abuja, it was learnt, the management on September 9, 2011, without any form of investigation, ordered for their suspension, even as the officers maintained that they were innocent of the alleged offence.
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