The Comptroller General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, has warned high profile smugglers operating in the country to legitimise their businesses or end up in jail.

Ali, who gave the warning in Kaduna while addressing custom's personnel of Zone B Command, accused the smugglers of economic sabotage and bringing dangerous drugs into the country.

He said the service would henceforth ensure full enforcement of laws against smuggling, adding, “we will arrest, prosecute any person that goes out to smuggle no matter how highly placed.”

The CGC noted that the rate of smuggling into the country especially in the zone, had become a way of life of communities living along Nigeria's borders.

He disclosed that the service would begin a mass education of border communities engaged in smuggling for them to find other means of livelihood, as most of them “do not understand that it is an offence to smuggle into this country.”

Ali said his current tour of customs commands was to intimate the personnel of the direction of the new administration and instil in them the need to adopt new work ethics hinged on transparency and accountability.

The CGC told the personnel that, henceforth, none of them would be allowed to spend more than three years in a station.

“Many of us form the habit of lobbying for posting that has to stop. Every posting is important and it is what you do on the desk that will determine your promotion.

“We have decided that posting now is (after) three years, anybody that has already spent three years in a place must move to another place

“If you are excellent in Kaduna command we will want you to go out and display that same excellence in another place.

“There is no need keeping you here and depriving others of your knowledge, in customs service, you must have knowledge of virtually everything.”

He assured that priority would be placed on enhancing their welfare, but warned that those in the habit of lobbying for promotion or posting would be retired. (NAN)

•Photo shows Col Hameed Alli (rtd).