The controversy surrounding the succession process in the Nigeria Customs Service has deepened, with Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, Leke Joseph Abejide, dismissing claims that the reported emergence of Deputy Comptroller I.D. Olorunfemi as the next Comptroller-General would trigger the forced retirement of senior officers.
Speaking on Sunday, Abejide described the allegations as misleading and insisted that all retirements within the service are being carried out strictly in line with existing Public Service Rules.
The lawmaker was reacting to reports suggesting that several senior Customs officers could be prematurely retired to create room for a new leadership structure. He maintained that no officer is being removed to pave the way for another, stressing that all exits currently taking place are statutory and lawful.
According to him, public service regulations clearly stipulate that officers must retire upon attaining the age of 60 years or after completing 35 years in service.
“The Civil Service Rules are clear. Retirement after 35 years in service or at the age of 60 is not by compulsion but by law. Therefore, suggestions that any officer would be retired to create room for another appointment are false and misleading,” Abejide stated.
He explained that the Nigeria Customs Service is grappling with the consequences of a 16-year recruitment gap, which created a generational imbalance and distorted career progression within the organisation.
Abejide noted that the prolonged period of non-recruitment and stagnant promotions resulted in officers within the 41000, 42000 and 43000 service number categories advancing through the ranks almost simultaneously, leading to a concentration of personnel at similar seniority levels.
The situation, he said, has left the service top-heavy, with many officers approaching retirement at the same time while the lower cadre remains comparatively thin.
According to the lawmaker, more than 1,500 officers are expected to retire under the provisions of Public Service Rule 100238, stressing that the development is a natural and legally mandated process rather than a consequence of any succession arrangement.
Abejide also dismissed allegations linking him personally to the incoming Customs chief, describing claims of family ties or political influence as unfounded. He said he has no personal relationship with the nominee and only became aware of him recently.
He maintained that the succession process is designed to ensure stability and continuity in the Nigeria Customs Service while addressing long-standing structural challenges caused by years of recruitment gaps and delayed career progression.
The lawmaker added that the process expected to follow the six-month transitional tenure of the current Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, is consistent with established public service regulations.
The debate comes days after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved another six-month tenure extension for Adeniyi.
