Hameed Ali writes Senate, says won’t appear before lawmakers on Wednesday

Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs, Hameed Ali
Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs, Hameed Ali

The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Hameed Ali, has written the Senate, notifying the lawmakers he will not appear before them on Wednesday as expected. ‎

The Senate Clerk read Mr. Ali’s letter on Tuesday.

He was summoned last Thursday over the planned clampdown on vehicles without duty payment.

In its resolution, the Senate said Mr. Ali must appear in appropriate Customs uniform which he has not been publicly seen to have worn.

He had hit back at the Senate, asking the lawmakers to show interest in his work not his dress.

In his letter, he said he had to attend an NCS meeting; but the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawann said that reason was not tenable.

More to come.

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  • Jerry chimaobi

    I think all this hide and seek thing is revolving around the man not wanting to appear before the Senate in uniform. If the man feel that he is too big for the customs uniform, the most honourable thing to do is resign from the position. Its high time we begin to spend our time building strong institutions not building strong people.

    • Frank Bassey

      You are damn RIGHT. That is the point. Name-calling and abusive words on a clear issue like this amounts to ignorance and taking sides. Ali is a public servant. The Senate represents Nigerians. What is this pig-headedness all about, for God’s sake?

      • Eze1

        iF YOU TAKE CENSUS, you will see many Nigerians care less what Hamid Ali wears. What Nigerians care about is result not dressing right now. Many Nigerians will support Ali against the Senate. And if they are bnot careful, we start sewing school uniform for them too.

    • Oladele

      There is no law requesting Ali to wear Uniform as customs boss! Out of mutual respect, services hardly wear each others Uniform and core combatants detest wearing para-military Uniforms! Ali is a retired Colonel in the Nigerian Army. He will not wear customs Uniform simple!

  • FreeNigeria

    Senate 1 – Ali 1, the game is heading into extra time. Imbeciles

  • Isa Bn Aly

    There is nothing unconstitutional about the Customs boss not appearing in the Service’s “appropriate” uniform. These guys are mere diversionary vandals looking for every opportunity to seek the applaud of our gullible masses. Like the no-nonsense Colonel put it to the thieves, they had better looked at his work, and not dress.

    • Frank Bassey

      Prof. Itse Sagay, Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, publicly declared recently that nothing has changed in Customs since APC/PMB administration in May 2015. He said the stinkingly corrupt Customs is as stinking as ever under Hameed Ali. What then makes the lawmakers more of thieves than Ali – going by your assessment? Those of us who close our eyes to the weaknesses and wrong-doings of PMB’s cabinet members and associates and focus more on others are equally guilty of the charge we level against the others.

    • Think tank 2

      What do you know about the constitution? He is not the minister in charge of finance nor internal affairs. He is simply the chief custom officer of Nigeria.
      This shows the respect he has for the constitution and laws of the nation. Moreover he is insulting all the democratic institutions including the Presidency which is seen here as incapable of executing governing rules.

    • Right

      So Junior custom officers can as well wear Agbeda to work too? Right

  • Isi Agwo

    Nigeria is a jungle, a ranch/toilet for Fulanis.

    • isiaka

      Don’t be sentiment in making comment. the interest of the Nation must be paramount in every body mind. why are they so concern about his dress not his work? So it is high time we let these people know, there purpose of been elected to the house.

  • Mr Integrity

    Who is this man? and who did he think he is?

  • Otile

    The ongoing arrogance and disrespect for elected lawmakers is caused by Buhari who made the bad choice of hand-picking a retarded army man to head the Customs. Alhaji Hameed Alibaba has no regard for the uniform of those he sees as inferior bloody civilians. Alibaba is there for the hefty pay the office offers not to contribute anything useful. Since Imam gave him the post there has been no value added, it has been as they say in the army ‘as waya’. Imam, please go back to Landan let Nigerians manage their lives better.