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Updated: Anger in Customs over extension of 12 senior officers’ service years
Updated: Anger in Customs over extension of 12 senior officers’ service years
Internal wrangling is brewing among some sections of Nigeria Customs officers over a reported extension of the service years of 12 top officers already due for retirement.
A new report by FIJ this was done Contrary to the public service rules (PSR).
The report listed some of the beneficiaries as Michael Awe, the comptroller of the Murtala Muhammed Cargo Command; Baba Imam, an assistant comptroller of customs and secretary to the NCS Board; Kayode Kolade, the comptroller of Seme Area Command; and Umar Isah Gusau, Assistant Comptroller of Customs.
They were said to be due for their compulsory three months pre-retirement leave as dictated by the PSR.
The extension, it was learnt, would last a year, impeding the career progression of those who could have stepped into the roles of the affected officers.
“I write on behalf of the Comptroller General of Customs and Vice Chairman of Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB), Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, to convey the approval of Extension of your Service by Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR vide Ref, PRES/81/SGF/154/114/NCS/4 dated 5th December, 2024,” Imam, one of the retained officers, wrote in a letter directed to Awe, dated December 12.

A copy of Awe’s extension letter.
“The Extension period approved is twelve (12) months from the date of your supposed retirement.
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“By this Extension, while the CGC congratulates you, you are expected to bring your invaluable wealth of experience and professional expertise to bear on the policy thrust of the CGC and for the growth and development of the Service and the Nation.”
There are also indications that the secret retention signals the extension of service years of the Customs boss, whose 35th year as a Customs officer statutorily ends next month.
Although Tinubu had said his tenure would be guided by the “extant provisions of the Public Service Rules (PSR)”, there are concerns that this may not be so.

Imam Baba.
The concerns was said to have stemmed from a recent action of President Tinubu controversially extending the tenure of Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun by allowing the National Assembly to amend the Nigeria Police Act to legitimise the extension for a period of four years.
The IGP would have retired after attaining the retirement age of 60 years recognised by the PSR.
Uneasy calm
In preparation for his retirement, for instance, Awe was said to have already handed over to the most senior officer at his command and was awaiting a send-off party by his colleagues.
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“Awe ceased being a customs officer on November 27. On the same day, he handed over to the most senior deputy comptroller at the Murtala Muhammed Cargo Command pending when a substantive appointment would be made,” an FIJ source said.
“He then travelled to Abuja and returned to announce that he remained the head of the command to the consternation of the officers who were already planning a send-off ceremony to be held on November 30 for him.

Kayode Kolade
“Nobody is lawfully allowed to experience their retirement leave on duty. What our findings showed was that these people are the henchmen of the comptroller general.
“So, if they are breaking the law for his lieutenants, then his own overstay or approval for his extension would be a walk in the park.
“There is a lot of anger in the service as we speak and officers don’t know how to vent it. By now, the law deems those people as non-Customs officers and are not expected to sign or authorise any action at any level of the NCS.”

Michael Awe
Abdullahi Maiwada, the customs national public relations officer, was quoted as saying on the issue, “We are going to make a formal announcement as to whether there is that development or not.
“We will issue a statement very soon on that. But for now, I don’t have anything to say.”
Updated: Anger in Customs over extension of 12 senior officers’ service years
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metro
Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack
Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack
A 33-year-old woman, Hauwa’u Haruna, has been arrested by the police in Bauchi State after her co-wife, identified as 43-year-old Jamila Adamu, died following an alleged attack with a pestle.
The incident occurred at about 4:05pm on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Tafawa Balewa Housing Estate in Bauchi metropolis, where the two women reportedly lived in the same household with their husband.
According to the Bauchi State Police Command, Haruna allegedly picked up a pestle during a confrontation and struck Adamu on the forehead.
The victim reportedly lost consciousness after the alleged assault.
Police said officers from C-Division, Bauchi, were alerted to the incident and responded to the residence. Adamu was subsequently taken to Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, where a medical doctor reportedly confirmed her death.
Her remains were deposited at the hospital mortuary pending an autopsy, while the police commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
The police said the alleged pestle used in the attack was recovered and retained as an exhibit. Haruna was also arrested and taken into custody for questioning.
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The police spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect was allegedly acting under what the command described as hallucinations when the incident occurred.
However, the police description does not by itself establish a medical diagnosis or explain the cause of the alleged behaviour. Further investigation, including the circumstances surrounding the incident and any relevant medical assessment, would be required to establish the facts.
The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation and prosecution.
The commissioner also expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged members of the public to seek timely medical and psychosocial assistance for people experiencing serious behavioural or psychological difficulties.
Police have not disclosed a specific motive for the alleged attack or provided details of what triggered the confrontation between the two women.
The incident has consequently remained under investigation as authorities work to establish the circumstances that preceded the alleged assault and the events that led to Adamu’s death.
The case is expected to be subjected to further investigation before any criminal liability is determined through the appropriate legal process.
Bauchi Woman Arrested After Co-Wife Dies in Alleged Pestle Attack
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Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search
Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search
A 21-year-old Lagos driver has been arrested after a police sergeant was fatally injured during a stop-and-search operation in the Egbeda area of Lagos State.
The deceased officer, identified as Sergeant Johnson Okediji, was reportedly knocked down and dragged beneath a Lexus ES 350 during the incident, which occurred at about 2:20pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026, along Olugbede Street, Egbeda.
The driver, identified by the police as Olumide Olusola, was arrested after officers pursued him following the incident. The Lexus, with registration number FKJ 223 KX, was also recovered and taken into police custody.
According to the Lagos State Police Command, officers were conducting a stop-and-search operation when they flagged down the vehicle.
The command said the driver initially stopped but allegedly accelerated as Sergeant Okediji approached the driver’s side of the vehicle.
The officer was reportedly knocked down and dragged underneath the moving vehicle for several metres despite efforts by other police officers and passers-by to stop the driver.
Okediji sustained multiple fractures and serious head injuries in the incident.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital before being referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
His remains were subsequently deposited at the Mainland Hospital Mortuary, while an autopsy was ordered to assist with determining the circumstances surrounding his death.
The police later arrested Olusola and recovered the vehicle involved in the incident.
However, the suspect has disputed the police account of what happened.
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While being paraded by the command, Olusola reportedly denied deliberately hitting the officer, claiming instead that the vehicle suffered a brake failure as he approached the police officers.
He said he had taken the vehicle to a mechanic the previous day to replace its brake pads and was informed that the work had been completed.
According to his account, he later noticed that the brake was still slipping after he bought fuel on the day of the incident. He said he intended to return the vehicle to the mechanic when the incident occurred.
The competing accounts have not been resolved, and the police investigation is expected to establish how the collision occurred and whether the driver’s actions amounted to a deliberate attempt to evade the officers.
The incident has drawn attention to the risks faced by police officers during stop-and-search operations, as well as the need for motorists to comply with lawful police checks.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Tijani said the command would continue to enforce the law while ensuring that officers performing their duties operate within established rules.
The incident was disclosed during the command’s September operational briefing, where the commissioner also gave an account of other arrests and recoveries recorded during the month.
The police said 32 suspects were arrested during the period, while officers recovered 43 vehicles, five pump-action firearms, five locally made pistols, 20 live rounds or cartridges, 15 expended ammunition and about ₦2.5 million in cash, among other exhibits.
The command said investigations into the death of Sergeant Okediji were continuing.
The case is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death, including the suspect’s claim of brake failure and the police allegation that he accelerated after initially stopping for the search.
Lagos Driver Arrested After Police Sergeant Dies During Stop-and-Search
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metro
Rivers Approves State Police Bill as Kano Assembly Starts Consideration
Rivers Approves State Police Bill as Kano Assembly Starts Consideration
The Rivers State House of Assembly has unanimously endorsed the constitutional amendment seeking to establish State Police Services in Nigeria, while the Kano State House of Assembly has begun considering the proposal as the nationwide legislative process gathers pace.
All 25 members of the Rivers Assembly voted in favour of the State Police Bill during plenary on Monday, September 28, following consideration of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026.
The bill was transmitted to the 36 state Houses of Assembly by the National Assembly on September 16 for consideration and concurrence.
Rivers Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule said the lawmakers had consulted their constituents before taking a position on the proposed constitutional amendment.
He said the proposal would create a constitutional pathway for states to establish their own police services while allowing the National Assembly to prescribe minimum standards for policing nationwide.
The Rivers Assembly’s resolution is expected to be formally communicated to the National Assembly as part of the constitutional amendment process.
Meanwhile, the Kano State House of Assembly has commenced consideration of the bill after lawmakers resumed plenary on September 28.
The Kano Assembly had earlier indicated that it would examine the proposal when it reconvened, with lawmakers expected to scrutinise its provisions before taking a formal position.
The Kano development is part of a wider process involving the 36 state legislatures. The National Assembly has clarified that the State Police Services Bill is the only constitutional alteration proposal so far transmitted to the state assemblies for consideration.
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Under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution, a constitutional amendment passed by the National Assembly requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before it can proceed to the next stage.
This means at least 24 of the 36 state assemblies must approve the proposed amendment.
The National Assembly has given the state legislatures a 30-day administrative timeframe to consider and communicate their resolutions, although the Constitution itself does not prescribe that period as a statutory deadline.
The state-level consideration follows the passage of the executive-sponsored State Police constitutional amendment bill by the Senate and House of Representatives earlier in 2026.
The proposed amendment seeks to provide constitutional backing for a decentralised policing structure in which State Police Services would operate alongside the existing Federal Police Service.
The proposal also contains provisions intended to establish national minimum standards and safeguards for state policing.
According to the proposed framework, the Federal Police Service would continue to operate across Nigeria, while individual states that establish state police would have their own police services subject to the constitutional and legislative requirements.
The proposal comes amid longstanding discussions about restructuring Nigeria’s policing system and bringing law enforcement closer to communities.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has previously backed the establishment of state police, saying a decentralised policing structure could complement the existing federal security architecture and strengthen grassroots policing.
The Presidency has also said that any new state policing framework would require provisions covering recruitment, training, funding, oversight, discipline, firearms control, complaints mechanisms and other safeguards before state police services begin operations.
The legislative process has already produced different responses from state assemblies. Osun and Edo have also backed the proposed amendment, while other assemblies, including Oyo, Nasarawa and Gombe, have begun or scheduled consideration of the bill.
The proposal, however, has not yet created State Police Services in Nigeria. It must first secure the constitutionally required support from at least 24 state assemblies and complete the remaining stages of the constitutional amendment process.
With Rivers having endorsed the proposal and Kano now considering it, attention is shifting to the decisions of the other state Houses of Assembly as the State Police Bill moves through the next phase of the constitutional review process.
Rivers Approves State Police Bill as Kano Assembly Starts Consideration
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