THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reacted to a viral video of one of its officers caught demanding N5,000 from an airport passenger.
An online video emerged on Tuesday, December 12, where a woman in a Customs uniform was seen brazenly demanding N5,000 from a passenger at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos.
The Customs officer tells a male passenger in the video that the passenger must pay a N5,000 bribe before she allows him to pass with his luggage, which looks like foodstuffs.
The passenger, willing to offer only N1,000, said the Customs officer did nothing for him to deserve the bribe she demanded.
The officer who didn’t hide her face insists on N5,000 or nothing, while she pushes the luggage away in a trolley.
As the passenger keeps saying she won’t pay more than N1,000, the officer reduces the demand to N3,000 and rejects the N1,000 the passenger offers her.
Reacting to the video, an X user, @ urged the NCS o to take immediate action on the matter.
“CustomsNG an action must be made before people started (sic) sharing her videos to where it’s not necessary.”
In a tweet, @I_AM_MAC4 said he spent around N30,000 sorting people at the airport before he could go with foodstuffs.
“Spent around 30k sorting because I carried foodstuffs. From the entrance, they beg till you sit in the plane. Just manipulating people because they know you will not want to delay and miss your flight.”
Reacting to the video in a statement signed by its national public relations officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, on Tuesday, December 12, the NCS said the Service was investigating the incident.
The Customs noted that it will ensure full accountability on the matter.
“The recording reveals an inappropriate request for ₦5,000 in exchange for expeditious processing of customs procedures.
“We wish to confirm that the officer implicated is indeed a member of the Nigeria Customs Service, properly assigned to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Area Command.
“A comprehensive investigation is underway to scrutinize the incident thoroughly, and appropriate actions will be taken,” the NCS stated.
According to the statement, such behaviour is entirely inconsistent with the core values of the Service.
The Customs urged passengers and the public to report any misconduct or corruption promptly.
The statement added that reports from the public on the conducts of its officials were crucial in upholding the integrity of the Service and ensuring that officers adhere to the highest ethical standards.
“The outcome of the investigation will be communicated to the public at the earliest opportunity,” the statement added.
A reporter with the ICIR
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