January 13, (THEWILL) – The investigative hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, aimed at probing the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service and border management, was stalled on Monday due to the absence of key officials.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, the Comptroller-General of Customs, and the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service failed to attend the session, sparking outrage among lawmakers.
The House Committee on Public Accounts, in collaboration with the Committee on Interior, had summoned the officials alongside other stakeholders to address critical issues, including the modernisation of the NCS (e-customs) concession to the Trade Modernisation Project and the role of Webb Fontaine in the e-customs framework.
The hearing was expected to scrutinize the due diligence conducted in selecting TMP as the new operator for the e-customs project, assess its performance since taking over from Webb Fontaine, and evaluate the effectiveness of new scanners intended to streamline goods clearance processes.
However, the absence of the invited officials derailed proceedings, as their representatives were deemed incapable of addressing the lawmakers’ questions.
While it was disclosed that the Minister of Interior was out of the country, no explanation was given for the absence of the Comptroller-General of Customs and his Immigration counterpart.
Members of the committee expressed their frustration over what they described as a lack of respect for legislative oversight.
Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun) noted that the absence of the agency chiefs rendered the session ineffective, as their representatives lacked the requisite authority and knowledge.
Citing Section 88 of the Nigerian Constitution, Osoba reminded the officials of the National Assembly’s powers to summon anyone for explanations.
Similarly, Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP, Rivers) condemned the snub as a direct affront to the authority of the parliament.
He warned that failure to appear at the next scheduled hearing would force lawmakers to invoke their constitutional powers, including recommending the dismissal of the agency heads.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Customs, Leke Abejide (ADC, Kogi), described the situation as a hindrance to the committee’s work.
He announced the postponement of the hearing, adding that it would resume after the passage of the national budget, at a time when the Chief Executives could be present to answer critical questions.
“We understand the weight of our national assignment and made time for this, despite our busy schedules. It is disheartening that the invited officials did not reciprocate this commitment,” Abejide said.
The committee’s investigation remains central to addressing issues of border security, revenue generation, and the seamless operation of the NCS in a digital era.
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