CGC Adeniyi and the Phantom Exclusives

CGC Adeniyi and the Phantom Exclusives
By Abdulsalam Mahmud

It is natural and incumbent to react objectively to any story that does not reflect reality. Falsehood.

When experts and dispassionate commentators do not objectively analyse events, issues, and developments, rumour peddlers and merchants of fake news can easily hoodwink the general public.

Recently, some media, including print and online, published a story alleging that Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi falsified his age to remain in service without balancing their report.

The report hastily concluded that the Customs chief altered his age but failed to provide credible documents to convince readers.

The first red flag was the ‘accompanying image’ used to illustrate Adeniyi’s alleged age falsification. Common sense dictates that a fitting picture should represent such a ‘reported scandal,’ but the few media that reported the issue did not follow this standard.

Instead, what appeared to be a plain paper with indiscernible, blurry writings was used to ‘convince’ readers. Furthermore, in its opening two paragraphs of the story, one of the media outlets claimed that official documents were sighted, proving Adeniyi’s ‘culpability.’

Unfortunately, none of the media provided screenshots of the ‘official documents’ they claimed to have obtained. They even contradicted themselves in some of their paragraphs.

In one part, it stated, “However, his age falsification has enabled him to remain in service beyond 60 years of age,” while in another, it claimed, “As if that was not enough, the documents also revealed that Adeniyi altered his years of service to remain in customs service.”

Regrettably, no tangible evidence was presented by the reporters to substantiate these claims. Neither the document showing age alteration nor the service period extension by the Customs boss was attached to the story.

One of the media also attempted to portray their tabloid as a stickler for balance by reaching out to the Customs spokesperson, CSC Abdullahi Maiwada, and Adeniyi himself for their reactions.

However, they failed to acknowledge that the Customs Chief had already offered clarifications on his birth record and other credentials the previous to other media who sought clarification sometimes ago, asserting he had nothing to hide.

It seems Adeniyi’s ‘detractors’ won’t believe him, as they are engaged in a series of campaigns of calumny for whatever reason. Is it to distract the Customs boss and derail his astute leadership of a reinvented Nigeria Customs? Whatever their goal, CGC Adeniyi appears unperturbed and rightly so.

He has vowed to remain focused on delivering his mandate like a fearless warrior and unyielding force of progress. I urge him not to buckle or cave into these perceived adversaries. Teeming and well-meaning citizens are rooting for him to succeed remarkably in changing the narrative of the Customs, as he has started doing.

Recently, the customs boss raised an alarm over alleged moves by “faceless individuals” to distract him from his duties by attempting to spread misleading information about his service record.

When asked whether his records contained irregularities, as some individuals had alleged, he said he had nothing to hide. He was aware that certain individuals (not named) were out to distract him from carrying out his lawful duties.

He said that he rose to the pinnacle of his career through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice, with an unblemished record of service. He added that “when you set out to fight corruption in a clime like ours, corruption will always fight back.”

The Customs CG said he is dedicating his energy and expertise, together with his team, to helping to actualise President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of building a stronger and more virile economy for the country.

None of the reports faulted the schools he attended and the qualifications he obtained. After graduating from Modakeke High School in 1979, when he wrote the West African School Certificate, he was employed by the Nigerian Railway Corporation as a casual worker before he later used his university degree to get an appointment with the customs as a public officer.

It is necessary to point out that he was admitted to Obafemi Awolowo University, where he studied International Relations from 1984 to 1988 before joining the Nigeria Customs Service in 1990.

After that, he obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Communication Science at the Universitaire Svizzera D’Italiana (USI)—Lugano, Switzerland, in November 2013.

A summary of his career profile showed that he was a deputy comptroller-general with cognate experience in Customs administration covering strategic and operational responsibilities.

“He deeply understands the complex and constantly evolving international trade landscape. He has a strong command of customs regulations, laws, and procedures and the ability to navigate and adapt to changing policies and regulations.

His record of service showed that he won former President Muhammadu Buhari’s admiration for bursting an attempt to smuggle $8.07 million out of the country sometime in February 2020 through the E-Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport’s tarmac while he was the airport’s comptroller.

President Tinubu appointed Adeniyi the new Acting Comptroller General of the NCS on Monday, June 19, 2023. He was appointed alongside other service chiefs in an acting capacity and was subsequently confirmed as the substantive Comptroller General of Customs on October 20, 2023.

Mahmud, a public affairs commentator and advocate of social justice, can be reached at: [email protected].