The Nigeria Customs Service this morning announced the retirement, “with immediate effect,” of 34 senior officers in what it decribed as as part of an on-going re-organisation which “is one of the core mandates of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd).”

Customs Public Relations Officer Wale Adeniyi said in a statement signed on behalf of the Comptroller-General: “Those affected in the exercise are five Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs (DCGs) who have earlier given notification to the Comptroller-General for voluntary disengagement. They are John Atte MFR, Ibrahim Mera OON, Musa Tahir mni, Austin Nwosu and Akinade Adewuyi.

“Three others, of the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General are also affected in the re-organisation exercise. They are Madu Mohammed mni, Secretary to the Nigeria Customs Board, Victor Gbemudu, Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘A’ and Bello Liman, Assistant Comptroller-General, (Headquarters). The rest are of the rank of Comptrollers serving in Customs Headquarters, Zonal Offices and various Area Commands.

“The Comptroller-General of Customs stated that the retirements were part of measures to kick-start the repositioning of the Service for improved performance.”