The Nigerian Customs Service via its Public Relation Unit has sort of rekindled my hope of a better Nigeria. It is also a re-assurance that there will be light at the end of the tunnel for Nigerians with the way and manner the unit swiftly responded and immediately put their hands to the plow until justice was served on a matter I personally reported on the 30th of November 2022.
As a border boy, I am not unfamiliar with the rules and restrictions placed on several business activities in and around the border communities and as a law abiding citizen I try to keep my part of the Nigerian Deal to the best of my abilities even though these restrictions are very inconveniencing for the average border community dweller. But on that faithful Wednesday afternoon, an officer of the Nigerian Customs serving in one of the checkpoints between Idiroko and Owode went above board. This officer had threatened to delay and waste my time, and he did -for no just cause than the fact that I had an altercation with one of his errand boys popularly called CAMP BOYS that are ordinarily not suppose to be on the road whom I queried for hitting on my car with a stick after confirming I had no contraband in my car. The only response I got from the guy after my polite enquiry is to refer to me as being stupid! He repeated the verbal assault, adding who am I? Of course, I told him he must be stupid too for him to have a feel of what he was ditching out on me. Suddenly, the said officer came on the scene, requested to see my custom papers (which was immediately given to him and confirmed genuine) and then he dropped an unguarded statement “I will delay you today”, and thus, the delay started.
After waiting for over 1hour and 30minutes with no end in sight, I decided (out of my frustration) to report this case of intentional delay and inhuman treatment on The Nigerian Customs Service official Facebook Page inbox. I remained there with my friends until few hours later when the “BOSS” of an officer feels fulfilled and Okay to release my papers and car keys. That was after several hours of delay for no just cause. I left the scene frustrated because I had missed my appointment and also cancelled all other engagements for the day. But my main worry as I zoomed off in my devastated state was; will things ever get better for our nation in the area of respecting human rights?
But alas, The Public Relations Unit of the Nigerian Customs Service cleared my doubts! At about 6:48pm of the same day I received this as a response to the message I had earlier sent to their inbox:
”Good afternoon, I have forwarded your case to the appropriate channel. You will be contacted”.
I thought this was some regular face saving message since the message appeared to have been read but I was wrong! By 7:46pm (Just about 1 hour after the response) I heard my phone ringing:
Me: Hello, good evening
Caller: Hi, my name is….a Superintended of Customs…. And I am calling from the headquarters in Abuja, I got your complaints and I want to know if you were able to resolve the matter?
Me: (Surprised and Excited)… Good evening sir sir sir, my name is Julius Oyedokun …. (And then I re-narrated the whole story)
And the Superintended of Customs replied thus: “Please you have to understand the orientation; some people like to do the exact opposite of what they are meant to do. Some thinks that their wearing uniform is an opportunity to molest and victimize people, so I think that’s what some believe the uniform is meant for. And whoever toes that line, I don’t think we must pamper him but we just have to give him a fair hearing.”
Me: (Still surprised and amused… I thought within myself, Wow wawwu… Is this happening in Nigeria or some American Film???)
And within a few seconds the Superintended of Customs linked me up with another Unit of Lagos state, to which he assigned to take up the case and do thorough investigation of the matter with a caveat that “IF” the incident actually happened the way I have narrated, the officer in question should be identified and disciplined accordingly. Fast forward to the second day, I was heading to work when some calls started coming in to ask If this was the same Julius that had an encounter with a particular customs officer yesterday… Infact, I was invited to identify the erring officer via a WhatsApp video call (from their Zonal Office) among all the officers that were on duty on the day of the incident at the check point. All were summoned.
Anyways, long story cut short, I even had to beg on his behalf when I saw the action that were been taken after the officer was identified, scolded and reprimanded appropriately BUT one thing remained with me since the day and that is the fact that a better Nigeria is in the offing.
The takeaway from this encounter is that Nigeria is not unredeemable. Good things are happening in the Nigeria Custom Service particularly from the top echelon. C.G Hammed Ali Reform initiatives is taking shape within the organization. Despite knowing a good number of top officers in the NCS, I decided to go through the official channel to test the efficacy and effectiveness of the unit and how prompt public complaints will be addressed. To say I’m impressed with the handling is an understatement.
Kudos to NCS. Good things takes time. Bad eggs in the NCS should watch their back. Then, other Nigeria institutions should endeavour emulate NCS particularly the Nigeria Police Force.
Thank you Nigeria Customs Service and God bless Nigeria.
Julius Oyedokun writes from oyedokunjulius@gmail.com
