A retired Comptroller of Customs Services, Abdullahi Bello Gusau, has alleged that he was unlawfully retired and lucked out of office exactly four days after he uncovered over N1.3 billion fraud through online audit in Single Good Declaration, SGD, Audit form.

He made the allegation in a letter of petition against the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd).

In the letter, a copy made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday, he stated that he was retired premature four days after he uncovered the fraud through Post Clearance Audit, PCA, at the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, headquarters in Abuja.

“I audited only 20 SGDs forms online and discovered gross underpayment of import duty revenue amounting to over N1.3 billion at Apapa port Area command. I was in charge of FCT command (CAC FCT) Nnamdi Azikiwe international Airport,” it stated.

The illegal retirement was contested and went to apex court where Comptroller Gusau emerged victorious after the Supreme Court final judgement in April 2017.

In the letter of petition signed by Barr. Gbenga Afolabi, of Olugbenga Afolabi & Associates, on behalf of Gusau, stated that the Supreme Court judgement mandated the CG and NCS to reinstate Comptroller Bello Gusau, but the CG refused to comply.

Supreme Court, in a copy of the judgement delivered in April 7, 2017 by Justice Ejembi Eko, affirmed Appeal Court judgement including the consequential orders, and mandated the CG to reinstate Gusau together with all the consequential orders of the supreme court of Nigeria as contained in the judgement.

The Apex Court also made declarations that the purported retirement of the plaintiff (Bello Gusau) by the second defendant (Customs) is unlawful, malicious, irregular and fragrant violation of the plaintiff right of employment until the mandatory retirement age.

The Court also ordered the defendant to allow the Comptroller Gusau to resume work and also maintain his positions as Comptroller of customs and be paid all his benefits and emoluments and enjoy his lawful promotions. (Blueprint)

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