Former Customs Comptroller-General Dikko Inde Abdullahi has formally handed over to Deputy Comptroller-General John Atte who assumes the role of Acting Comptroller-General of Customs.
The handover ceremony took place at the Customs Headquarters at Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. There was no formal ceremony marking the handover despite the fact that journalists were invited to cover the event. Journalists who had convened at the Customs Headquarters before 10am had waited only to be asked to leave without covering the event.
Our source said that at about 12noon, the Customs Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Wale Adeniyi had informed invited newsmen to leave.
But soon after this, it was gathered that the Abdullahi simply decided to handover to Atte without media coverage of the event.
The reason for not allowing journalists who were invited to cover the event was not clear. But Customs Deputy Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Joseph Attah confirmed that Atte had taken over as the Acting CG.
Abdullahi resigned as Customs Comptroller General via a letter dated August 3 to President Muhammadu Buhari in which he notified Buhari of his desire to proceed on voluntary retirement from August 18.
Buhari’s approval of Abdullahi’s request was dated August 14 and personally signed by the President. He thanked the NCS boss for his services to the county in the last six years.
By Pita Ochai
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