The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to undertake a comprehensive investigation of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) over alleged unwholesome activities of its personnel in Kano markets.
Nigerian Customs officials were said to have been overtly involved in illegal seizure of cars, shoes and textile materials in markets and routes leading to Kano State.
Though the NCS Controller General, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has been asked to direct his officers to stop illegal seizures of goods, the House has mandated its Committee on Customs and Excise to undertake a comprehensive investigation of the allegations and report back within four weeks.
The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion by Aliyu Madaki (APC, Kano), who noted that the issue should not be discountenanced with Kano being a major commercial center.
He said people from every part of Nigeria and neighbouring countries travel daily to Kano markets to purchase goods and textile materials on wholesale and retail basis.
He said: “Personnel of the Nigerian Customs recently embarked on illegal seizure of cars even in car stands in the name of customs duties.
“Personnel of the customs service seized in quantum shoes that were bought from Aba markets and on their way to Kano markets and same thing when they are going to Aba.
“The illegal activities of the customs is not only carried out in Kano state but extended to all the routes leading to Kano state”.
The motion was therefore unanimously adopted by the House after it was put to a voice vote by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.