Customs CG Faces Backlash Over ‘Self-Perpetuation Plot’ as Early Retirement Directive Deepens Crisis

The leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified, with fresh allegations that the Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, is using a controversial early retirement directive to consolidate power ahead of the end of his tenure.

At the heart of the dispute is a recent circular directing officers due for retirement to vacate office before their official disengagement dates—effectively scrapping the long-standing three-month pre-retirement period (PRD) traditionally granted to senior personnel.

The move has triggered outrage within the service, particularly as Adeniyi himself—and several others —previously benefited from both service extensions and the same pre-retirement privilege now being denied to others.

Critics argue that the timing and execution of the directive point to a deeper agenda.

Those who have allegedly enjoyed the privilege that others are being denied include:

* 41321 CC FM Ojeifo
* 38417 DCG IG Umar
* 38480 DCG B Imam
* 38991 ACG KC Egwuh
* 38127 CC MT Awe
* 38245 CC AA Abdulkadir

Many of the officers asked to exit the system had expected to proceed on their PRD in line with established norms but are now being compelled to exit abruptly.

Reacting to the development, the Good Governance Advocates (GGA), in a statement on Friday by its convener, Ajibade Ojomo, raised alarm over what it described as a dangerous mix of inconsistency, institutional disruption, and personal ambition.

The group warned that the policy comes at a particularly critical time when the Customs Service is already grappling with a leadership gap in terms of mentorship and experience transfer.

According to GGA, a significant number of mid-level officers—particularly Deputy Comptrollers and Assistant Comptrollers recruited between 2009 and 2012—are at risk of being left without adequate guidance and institutional memory if the current crop of senior management officers exits en masse.

“This is not the period for abrupt disengagement of experienced hands,” the group stated. “The Service is already battling a shortage of seasoned Comptrollers, with barely three at that level, and the younger officers still require structured mentoring.”

The group further alleged that the Comptroller-General’s actions are driven by personal considerations, aimed at ensuring that most of the current management officers are out of the system before his own exit in August 2026, marking the end of his extended tenure reportedly granted by President Bola Tinubu.

“It is troubling that while his contemporaries exited the Service as far back as 2025, the CGC now appears determined to clear out remaining senior officers before his departure,” the statement added.

Even more concerning, according to insiders, is the reported sidelining of experienced Comptrollers. Many are said to have been rendered redundant at the headquarters and zonal commands, while relatively inexperienced Assistant Comptrollers (ACs) and Deputy Comptrollers (DCs)—particularly those recruited between 2009 and 2012—are being deployed to sensitive positions, including key port commands.

“This creates a dangerous imbalance,” a source said. “You have critical operations being handled by officers who are still learning the ropes, while seasoned professionals are effectively pushed aside.”

The development has fueled speculation that the ongoing shake-up is less about reform and more about restructuring the command hierarchy in a way that secures influence and legacy for the current leadership.

GGA has therefore called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene, warning that failure to address the situation could weaken morale, disrupt operational efficiency, and further erode confidence in the administration’s commitment to fairness and good governance.

As tensions rise within the ranks, observers say the unfolding crisis may have lasting implications for discipline, succession planning, and the overall integrity of the Nigeria Customs Service.