Politics
Customs at the Crossroads: When Lawmakers Look Away and the Executive Looks Aside
Customs at the Crossroads: When Lawmakers Look Away and the Executive Looks Aside
By Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi
In a democracy, legislative oversight is the scalpel that cuts through deceit, inefficiency, and corruption in public institutions. It is the people’s last institutional shield against abuse of power. But what happens when that shield becomes a shelter for the very rot it is meant to expose? And what happens when the Executive arm, whose duty is to supervise its agencies, pretends not to see?

The unfolding drama between the National Assembly and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reveals more than a policy dispute. It exposes a dangerous triangle of confusion, complicity, and economic sabotage. At stake is not only the rule of law but the survival of an economy already gasping under inflation, a weak naira, and suffocating costs of living.
The House Talks Tough
In June 2025, Nigerians saw a glimpse of legislative courage when the House of Representatives Committee thundered at Customs:
> “Nigerian Customs Service, by June 30, must not collect CISS again. You are to collect only your 4% FOB assigned by the President. Even the 7% cost of collection you currently take is illegal—it was an executive fiat of the military, not democratic law. Any attempt to continue these illegal collections will be challenged in court. The ‘I’s have it.”
The voice was firm, the ruling decisive. Nigerians expected a turning point.
But the righteous thunder of the House was quickly muffled by the Senate’s softer tone, which suggested not the enforcement of the law but a readiness to bend it.
Senate: Oversight or Escape Route?
At a Senate Customs Committee session, Senator Ade Fadahunsi admitted openly that Customs has been operating illegally since June 2023. Yet rather than demand an end to illegality, he extended a lifeline to Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi:
> “If we come back to the same source… the two houses will sit together and see to your amendment so you will not be walking on a tight rope.”
But should Adeniyi be handed a loose rope while Nigeria’s economy hangs by a thread?
Instead of accountability, the Senate Customs Committee floated adjustments that would make life easier for Customs. The nation was given hints about fraudulent insurance and freight data, but instead of sanctions, what we saw was a search for escape routes. This is not oversight—it is overlook.
Smuggling and Excuses
The Senate Committee also lamented cross-border smuggling—Nigerian goods like cement flooding Cotonou, Togo, and Ghana at cheaper prices than in Nigeria. Senator Fadahunsi blamed the Central Bank’s 2% value deposit for encouraging the practice.
But where are the Senate’s enforcement actions—compliance checks, stiffer sanctions, cross-border coordination? None. The result is predictable: smugglers prosper, reserves bleed, and ordinary Nigerians pay more for less.
A Bloated Customs Budget
The Service’s 2024 capital allocation ballooned to ₦1.1 trillion from ₦706 billion. Instead of channeling these resources into modern trade systems, Customs is expanding empires of frivolity—such as proposing a new university despite already having training facilities in Gwagwalada and Ikeja that could easily be upgraded.
Oversight is not an afterthought; it is the legislature’s constitutional duty. To see waste and illegality and yet propose amendments that would legalise them is to turn oversight into overlook.
Customs has about 16,000 staff, yet many remain poorly trained. Rather than prioritise capacity building, the Service is busy building staff estates in odd locations. How does Modakeke—an inland town with no border post—end up with massive Customs housing projects, while strategic border towns like Badagry, Idiroko, and Saki remain neglected? Is Bashir Adeniyi Comptroller-General of Customs—or Minister of Housing?
The 4% FOB Levy: A Policy Blunder
The central controversy is the Federal Government’s plan to replace existing port charges with a new 4% Free-On-Board (FOB) levy on imports.
Nigeria is an import-dependent nation. This levy will instantly hike the costs of cars, spare parts, machinery, and raw materials—crippling industries and punishing consumers.
Already, the consequences are biting:
A 2006 Toyota Corolla now costs between ₦6–9 million.
Clearing agents who once paid ₦215,000 for license renewal must now cough out ₦4 million.
New freight forwarder licenses have jumped from ₦600,000 to ₦10 million.
Customs claims the revenue is needed for its modernisation programme, anchored on a software platform called B’Odogwu. But stakeholders describe this so-called “Odogwu” as epileptic—if not comatose. Why commit trillions to a ghost programme that will be obsolete by January 2026, when the Nigerian Revenue Service is set to take over Customs collections?
Industry Raises the Alarm
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has warned that the levy will worsen inflation, disrupt supply chains, and hurt productivity.
Lucky Amiwero, President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, calls the levy “economically dangerous.” His reasoning is straightforward:
The 4% FOB levy is much higher than the 1% CISS it replaces.
Peer countries like Ghana maintain just 1%.
The new levy will fuel inflation, raise the landed costs of goods, and destabilise the naira.
He also revealed that the Customs Modernisation Act, which introduced the levy, was passed without Senate scrutiny or meaningful stakeholder consultation. He estimates that the levy could add ₦3–4 trillion annually to freight costs—burdens that will be transferred directly to consumers.
Who Is Behind the “Odogwu” Masquerade?
The haste to enforce this levy, despite its looming redundancy, raises disturbing questions. Who benefits from the “Odogwu” project draining trillions? Why the rush, when NRS will take over collections in a few months?
This masquerade must be unmasked.
The Price Nigerians Pay
For ordinary Nigerians, this policy translates into one thing: higher prices. Cars, manufactured goods, and spare parts are spiraling beyond reach. A nation struggling with inflation, unemployment, and a weak currency cannot afford such reckless experiments.
So, while the Senate looks away, the Executive cannot look aside.
The Executive Cannot Escape Blame.
It is easy to focus on the failings of the legislature. But we must not forget: the Customs Service is an agency of the Federal Ministry of Finance, under the direct supervision of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun.
If Customs is breaking the law, wasting resources, or implementing anti-people policies, the buck stops at the Executive’s table. The Minister of Finance is Chairman of the Customs Board. To fold his hands while the Service operates in illegality is to abdicate responsibility.
History gives us a model. In 1999, the Minister of State for Finance, Nenadi Usman, was specifically assigned to supervise Customs and report directly to the President. Meanwhile, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala focused on broader fiscal and economic policies. That division of responsibility improved accountability. Today, the absence of such an arrangement is feeding impunity.
President Tinubu and his Finance Minister must act decisively. Oversight without executive will is a dead letter.
A Call to Accountability
The truth is stark:
Customs has been operating illegally since June 2023 to the Senate’s own confession.
The 4% FOB levy will deepen inflation and worsen economic hardship.
The Ministry of Finance bears ultimate responsibility for Customs’ conduct.
Until importing and consuming, Nigerians demand accountability—of the Comptroller-General, the Senate, and above all, the Finance Ministry—this bleeding will continue.
Nigerians deserve better. They deserve a Customs Service that serves the nation, not a privileged few. They deserve a House that enforces its resolutions, not one that grandstands. They deserve a Senate that upholds the law, not one that bends it. And above all, they deserve an Executive that does not look aside while illegality thrives under its ministry.
Only public pressure can end this indulgence. If Nigerians keep silent, we will keep paying the price—in higher costs, weaker currency, and a sabotaged economy.
Citizens’ Charge: Silence is Not an Option
Fellow Nigerians, the Customs crisis is not a drama for the pages of newspapers—it is a burden on our pockets, our businesses, and our children’s future. Every illegal levy is a tax on the poor. Every abandoned oversight is an open invitation to corruption. Every silence from the Executive is an approval of impunity.
We cannot afford to fold our arms. Democracy gives us the power of voice, the duty of vigilance, and the right to demand accountability. Let us demand that:
The Senate and House of Representatives stop playing good cop, bad cop, and enforce the law without compromise.
The Ministry of Finance takes full responsibility for the Customs Service, supervising it in the interest of Nigerians, not vested interests.
The President intervenes now, before the Service crosses the dangerous line of turning illegality into policy.
History will not forgive a people who suffered in silence when their economy was bled by recklessness. Silence is complicity. The time to speak, to write, to petition, to protest, and to demand is now.
Customs must serve Nigeria—not sabotage it.
Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also the President of Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the CEO, Masterbuilder Communications.
Email:[email protected]
Facebook:Bolaji Akinyemi.
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Instagram:bolajioakinyem
Politics
Ogun Central To Host Final Zonal Townhall Meeting for Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, April 30
Ogun Central To Host Final Zonal Townhall Meeting for Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, April 30
-.Removes Hon.Olugbenga Lekuti as Deputy Director General,Ogun East
One of the leading Political Groups, Ogun Visionaries is set to host the final zonal edition of the Sen. Solomon Adeola Yayi town hall meetings in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The Ogun Central Edition, scheduled for April 30, 2026, aims to engage the electorate and push for Senator Yayi’s Governorship bid in 2027.
The event is themed ‘Ogun 2027: Yayi For All,’ marking the finale of the zonal town hall meetings.
Addressing Journalists on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital,the Director General of Ogun Visionaries, Hon. Leye Odunjo, said the meeting will draw key stakeholders from Ogun Central’s political power circle.
Hon.odunjo stated that the event will kick off with a health walk, ‘Ogun Visionaries For Yayi Unity Walk,’ in the morning of April 30, 2026.The walk is themed ‘Let’s Walk for A United and Prosperous Ogun State,’ aiming to rally support for Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Governorship aspiration.
“The town hall meeting is expected to feature prominent personalities, including Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi as the Special Guest of Honour. The event will provide a platform for interaction and engagement with the electorate”.
Ogun Visionaries has successfully held town hall meetings in Ogun West and Ogun East senatorial districts. The Ogun Central Edition is the final zonal meeting before moving to LGAs and wards.
The Director General while acknowledging the support received from various personalities since inception of the group,disclosed that distinguished individuals would be honoured with Award of Recognition during the event.
Odunjo, who is also a Senior Legislative Aide to the Deputy Senate President said “The political atmosphere in Ogun State is reportedly in tune with the people’s yearning for Yayi’s emergence. Ogun Visionaries is at the forefront of making this a reality.
“The event aims to unite stakeholders and push for a prosperous Ogun State. With Senator Yayi’s popularity growing, the meeting is expected to draw a large turnout.
“The Ogun Central Edition will provide a platform for stakeholders to interact and engage with the electorate. The event is seen as a crucial step towards achieving the group’s goals.
“Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi’s presence is expected to energize supporters and further boost his campaign for 2027” he added
Meanwhile, Ogun Visionaries has announced removal of Hon Olugbenga Lekuti as the Deputy Director General, DDG,Ogun East, of the group.
Announcing the removal in a brief statement made available to Journalists, Hon.Odunjo stated that Hon.Lekuti was relieved of the position as a result of his anti -group and anti -Yayi’s acts.
He added that a new Deputy Director General would be announced in due course.
Politics
Political Earthquake in Kano: How, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Nasiru Gawuna’s Move to ADC Reshapes North-West Politics
Political Earthquake in Kano: How, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Nasiru Gawuna’s Move to ADC Reshapes North-West Politics
The political atmosphere of Nigeria’s North-West was fundamentally altered on a sweltering afternoon in 2026 after Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso former Governor of Kano State and Former Minister for Defence who is also the “Grand Commander” of the Red-Cap revolution, finalized a move that many viewed as the ultimate masterstroke of his political career. By transitioning from the NNPP to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kwankwaso did more than change platforms; he effectively reset the coordinates of the nation’s largest voting bloc.
Senator Kwankwaso’s pedigree is defined by a singular devotion to human capital development and an almost mythical grassroots loyalty preceded him. He turned a local movement, the Kwankwasiyya, into a disciplined, ideological army that transcends traditional party structures. His entry into the ADC instantly transformed a secondary party into a formidable fortress, signaling to the ruling elite that the North-West is no longer a monolith under their control.
The gravity of this shift is most profound in Kano, the heartbeat of Northern commerce. For years, the state was a polarized battlefield between the Kwankwasiyya and established conservative wings. However, the entry of Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna into the same ADC orbit has created a “Kano Super-Alliance” that was previously unthinkable. Kwankwaso, the visionary architect who sent thousands of Kano’s children to global universities, now finds his populist ideology merging with Gawuna’s administrative steadiness and deep-rooted institutional connections.
This synergy is a seismic departure from the politics of “zero-sum” rivalry; it is a calculated fusion of mass appeal and the strategic machinery required to protect and deliver votes.
This move reshuffles the entire North-West deck. As Kwankwaso plants the ADC flag across the region, he is attracting a wave of heavyweights from Kaduna to Sokoto who feel marginalized by the status quo. His political pedigree allows him to speak with a regional authority that others lack, positioning himself as a protector during a time of economic uncertainty. By bringing Gawuna into this fold, the dynamics of Kano politics have shifted from a war of attrition to a coalition of necessity. This alliance creates a “Third Way” that bypasses the failures of the old guard, promising a return to the rapid growth that defined the Kwankwaso years, but with a broader, more inclusive base that could dictate the occupant of Aso Rock in 2027.
Kwankwaso’s career has always been defined by a uniquely personal brand of power. From 1999 to 2015, he served two terms as Governor of Kano State, in addition to roles as Minister of Defence and Senator. While many were surprised by his recent maneuvers; especially following closed-door meetings with President Bola Tinubu, he chose the emerging ADC over the ruling APC.
In the high-stakes theater of Nigerian politics, few events have jolted the region quite like the defection of Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna from the APC to the ADC on March 31, 2026. Coming just twenty-four hours after Kwankwaso’s move, Gawuna’s transition fundamentally has also altered the political calculus in Kano. What makes this moment remarkable is the sheer drama of the reversal. Gawuna’s political journey has been a steady, calculated ascent through Kano’s establishment. He first shot to prominence as Commissioner of Agriculture under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, earning a reputation for hands-on management in a state where farming is the economic backbone. He eventually rose to Deputy Governor, serving for nearly six years and gaining invaluable executive experience. Beyond partisan politics, Gawuna distinguished himself as Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University and, most recently, as Chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). He resigned from the FMBN on March 27, 2026, citing compliance with presidential directives regarding political appointees.
A look back at the 2023 gubernatorial election reveals just how significant Gawuna is. Running under the APC, he polled over 890,000 votes against the formidable Kwankwasiyya machine. This proved that he is one of the few politicians in Kano who can genuinely compete with Kwankwaso’s electoral machinery. His strength is threefold: he appeals to the youth, the religious establishment (Ulama), and the business community; he has the capacity to split the APC vote; and he has demonstrated he can deliver votes independently of a larger party wave. To understand the magnitude of this defection, one must appreciate the complete inversion of alliances since 2023. Back then, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ran on the NNPP ticket with Kwankwaso’s backing, while Gawuna carried the APC banner with Ganduje’s support. By 2027, the roles will likely reverse: Governor Yusuf is positioned to run under the APC with Ganduje’s blessing, while Gawuna is poised to run under the ADC with Kwankwaso’s endorsement.
From the perspective of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Gawuna’s arrival is a “return” rather than a “recruitment,” as he was part of the movement’s pioneer cohort. This narrative neutralizes accusations of opportunism. For his part, Gawuna framed his move in terms of service and divine guidance, with sources indicating he felt marginalized within the APC after his 2023 defeat.
The reaction from within the APC has been one of worry and regret. President Tinubu, recognizing the stakes, reportedly directed party leaders to prevent Gawuna’s move, even offering him an automatic Senatorial ticket for 2027. The failure of this pressure campaign, Gawuna reportedly placed his phone on “Do Not Disturb” and traveled abroad to avoid lobbyists represents a significant defeat for the presidency’s political management. This crisis prompted emergency meetings between President Tinubu, Dr. Ganduje, and Badaru Abubakar at the Presidential Villa to reorganize their strategy.
The long-term implication is the potential break of the APC-PDP duopoly. The ADC is now positioning itself as a genuine “third force” in the North-West. The defection of high-profile figures like Senator Ahmed Babba-Kaita, Senator Aishatu “Binani” Ahmed, and former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami suggests a coordinated realignment. This competition could force more substantive policy debates and reduce the “zero-sum” intensity of regional elections.
The projected 2027 gubernatorial rematch between Gawuna (ADC) and Governor Yusuf (APC) will be a battle between two men with established records. Voters will have a genuine choice between performance and platform rather than just shifting loyalties. As Gawuna put it: “Allah gives power to whom He wants and when He wants.” While the 2027 elections will reveal where that power flows, it is already clear that the political landscape of the North-West will never look the same again.
Politics
Governor Dauda Lawal Approves Gratuity Payment
Governor Dauda Lawal Approves Gratuity Payment
The Zamfara State Government, under the visionary leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal, has approved the release of funds for the payment of Gratuity Batch 3 for the 2024/25 period. This decisive action underscores the administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of retired civil servants who dedicated years of service to the state’s development.
The Accountant General of the State is already working diligently to ensure that all eligible retirees receive their payments promptly and efficiently, reflecting the government’s resolve to uphold transparency and accountability in the disbursement process.
This timely gratuity payment is a testament to Governor Dauda Lawal’s people-centered leadership, which recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of retirees to the progress and stability of Zamfara State. It also reaffirms the government’s pledge to honor its financial obligations without unnecessary delays.
The Zamfara State Government calls on all retirees in the affected batch to exercise patience as the necessary administrative and financial processes are finalized. Every effort is being made to ensure smooth and uninterrupted payments.
This initiative is part of Governor Dauda Lawal’s broader vision to empower citizens and retirees, strengthen confidence in public service, and sustain the morale of those who have committed their lives to the growth of Zamfara State.
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