An intense lobbying effort is currently underway within the upper echelons of the Nigerian government, as influential government officials seek to conceal a multi-billion naira corruption scandal involving senior members of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), according to information gathered by PREMIUM TIMES.
A robust investigation conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has implicated at least 40 NCS personnel, many of whom hold high-ranking positions within the service, in schemes involving bribes paid by smugglers engaged in the import and export of contraband goods through Nigerian borders. Last year, seven of these officials were detained by the EFCC for several days, with some spending the festive period in custody, when it was discovered that proceeds of bribes totaling over N12 billion were traced to them, as reported by PREMIUM TIMES.
However, for reasons unknown, all seven were not prosecuted and have since been allowed to return to their duty posts without consequence.
Despite multiple requests, neither the NCS nor the EFCC has provided answers to inquiries from this newspaper.
As the Nigerian government grapples with revenue challenges, customs officials are alleged to have amassed billions for themselves while undermining government policies intended to safeguard national interests. While the complicity of customs officials in facilitating the movement of contraband items across Nigerian borders is well-documented, the identification and prosecution of culpable officials remain rare occurrences.
In this EFCC investigation, at least seven high-ranking NCS officials were interrogated by the anti-graft agency, and portions of the bribes they received were seized. Insider sources reveal that these officers were found to possess properties and businesses far exceeding what their salaries as customs officers could afford.
The EFCC’s probe also reportedly involves at least 33 other NCS officers, some of whom allegedly received substantial bribes from smugglers following the closure of the Nigeria-Niger border by the Nigerian government as part of ECOWAS sanctions against the military junta that ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum. Although ECOWAS has lifted the sanction, reports indicate continued smuggling activities across the Nigerian borders despite the initial closure.
According to sources, the EFCC operation has exposed customs officials accepting bribes from smugglers to facilitate the movement of goods through the borders. These bribes are often paid directly or through designated accounts belonging to NCS officials.
The majority of the detained officers operate in Zone B, which oversees more than half of Nigeria’s borders with Niger Republic in states such as Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, and Jigawa. The Nigerian Customs Service is organized into four zonal headquarters across the country, with Zone A covering the entire South-west geopolitical zone, Zone C covering the South-east and South-south, and Zone D covering the North-east states of Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa.
Six of the seven identified officers worked in Zone B, while one officer, who allegedly received over.
