A human rights organisation, Paths of Peace Initiatives, has submitted a formal petition to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, calling for an investigation into an officer, Mr Dauda, for alleged fraud, conspiracy, and unethical conduct.
The petition, received by the Customs Headquarters on January 31, 2025, accuses Dauda of defrauding businessman Mr Ezenwanne of N3,000,000.
According to the document signed by the group’s National President, Dandy Eze, the officer allegedly collected the sum under the pretext of facilitating the release of Mr Ezenwanne’s 40-foot container, which contained building materials and three hundred bags of rice.
The petition details that the payments were made in two instalments in 2023: N2,000,000 on February 14 and N1,000,000 on February 15.
Paths of Peace Initiatives claims that after the money was paid, Daud failed to secure the release of the container as promised. “Mr Dauda started giving him cock and bull stories, and all available evidence before him has shown that Mr Dauda have defrauded him of his hard-earned money,” the letter stated.
The group described the alleged actions as “not only criminal but unethical of a customs officer.”
Paths of Peace Initiatives has urged the Comptroller General to launch a full investigation into the allegations with a view to bringing the officer to book. The Nigeria Customs Service has yet to comment on the matter.
