- The House of Representatives summoned Customs CG Adewale Adeniyi over the alleged refusal of senior officers to retire after their due dates
- The committee threatened to arrest NIMC DG Bisoye Coker-Odusote for failing to appear regarding allegations of non-payment for a software project
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions summoned the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, to appear on February 18.
The summons follows a petition alleging that several top service officials have refused to retire despite reaching their due retirement dates.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the committee’s Head of Media, Chooks Oko, the Obasi-Pherson Help Foundation submitted the petition.
The foundation claims that some assistant comptrollers and comptrollers, identified as Imam, Umar, Egwu, Awe, Fatia, and Faith, have remained in service beyond their retirement period.
“The Comptroller-General, as a public officer, must clarify this matter to Nigerians,” Oko stated.
The Public Petitions Committee Chairman, Mike Etaba, emphasized that the House is committed to ensuring fairness in government agencies.
“In a time when many young Nigerians are seeking employment, it would be inappropriate for those due for retirement to remain in office,” Etaba said. “We are here to serve the people and ensure transparency and fairness.”
Similarly, the committee has warned that it may arrest the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Bisoye Coker-Odusote, if she fails to appear before the committee in person.
The summons relates to allegations of the commission’s failure to fulfil payment obligations for a state-of-the-art software development project delivered by Truid Limited.
Despite multiple invitations, Coker-Odusote has failed to honour the committee’s request. Etaba expressed frustration over her absence, stating:
“If she does not appear at the next hearing, we will have no choice but to direct the Inspector-General of Police to compel her attendance.”
Truid Limited, represented by its legal counsel, E.R. Opara, alleged that the firm had funded the project with an agreement that revenue from service providers would be shared over ten years starting in 2021. However, NIMC is accused of breaching the agreement by failing to remit payments as stipulated.
The committee has vowed to ensure that justice is served in both cases.
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