Alleged N1.6 Customs Fraud: NAGAFF Throws Weight Behind Customs CG

By DAPO OLAWUNI

…Says We are not Disappointed by His Action

Coming few weeks after a member of the upper chamber, representing Osun East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Francis Fadahunsi accused the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col Hameed Ali (rtd) of perpetuating fraud in the service, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) have risen in defense of the Customs boss, saying that he has done nothing wrong.

Fadahunsi had alleged that Ali had spent a whooping N1.6 billion for the recruitment of just 3,200 new officers.

At a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, Founder of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam had drummed support for the CG, saying that he is doing the best he could do in an environment that is considered very hostile.

He warned every stakeholder to exercise restraints in speaking against Hameed because he is a friend of NAGAFF.

Speaking, he said “We are going to send one signal that the Comptroller General is a friend of NAGAFF, that man was the first CG that visited NAGAFF headquarters, we placed our support on him and we have so far not been disappointed by his actions”

“NAGAFF is about 20years, even up to the time of Inde Dikko, as close as he was to us, he never visited NAGAFF headquarters”

“So anybody going around Hameed should exercise restraints because he is our friend and we have not found him wanting, I have to sound this note of warning”

“Even Fadahunsi is also a friend of myself as a person, but we are exercising restraint in responding to his outburst, I wish it was Sanni Abubakar or Julius Nwagu that made that statement”

Aniebonam said NAGAFF is coming up with an elaborate statement on the matter soon.

On the controversy surrounding the CG refusal to wear Customs uniforms, Aniebonam said wearing uniforms have nothing to do with his job.

He said “what has uniforms got to do with it? Section 2 of the customs law tells you who is a proper officer, the CG is on a presidential mandate of restructuring and reforming the customs service and we are talking of uniform, it does not make sense”

“Section 5 of the constitution gives president power to delegate power”