‘I cannot appear before Senate on Wednesday’ - Customs boss

Hameed Ali, the comptroller general of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), has declined the

The Senate had invited the Customs boss to appear before it 'in appropriate uniform’ over its plan to seize all vehicles with unpaid import duty.

In a letter by an assistant comptroller general of Customs, and read during plenary on Tuesday, March 14, Ali said the date for the meeting coincided with a ‘fortnightly meeting of the NCS management.’

The letter reads:

"I'm directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter no NASS/CS/8S/09/29 of 9th March 2017 on the above subject matter. I have been further directed to tell you that the date given to the comptroller-general of the Nigerian Customs Service Wednesday 15th March 2017 to brief the senate in plenary on the retrospective duty payment of vehicles in Nigeria has coincided with the fortnightly meeting of the NCS management.

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"The comptroller-general is humbly requesting the new date from the distinguished senate, as we wait your favourable response please be assured of the highest regards and also of the comptroller-general of customs."

Lawmakers who spoke described the letter as an 'insult' to the institution of the Senate.

"The excuse for not appearing tomorrow which coincided with routine fortnightly meeting of the management of the NCS. That does not take precedence on the invitation of the Senate," said Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan.

"Secondly, the letter was signed by someone else, not the comptroller general of Customs. He should have taken personal interest, write that letter and signed it. That would have given some sense of respect for the institution not the individuals," he added.

Senator James Manager said the Senate is an arm of government adding that the management meeting is not beyond the control of Ali.

"The man asked someone else to write and sign a letter. He is saying that the Senate should differ because of a small meeting that is not beyond the control. This is the insult of the highest order. I think the integrity of the Senate is being tested.

"The comptroller general of customs must appear in uniform tomorrow. Anything short of that is not acceptable," he added.

The Senate thereafter mandated Ali to appear before it in uniform at 10:30am on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Ali, a retired colonel and former military administrator of Kaduna state recently said that he was not appointed comptroller general of customs to wear uniform.