Checkpoints: How Killing of Kelebe, Customs’ Friend, Exposed Corruption Among Customs Operatives
By Francis Ugwoke
Money as the cliché goes is the root of all evil. This has exactly been proved with what led to the death of a young man, simply identified as Godwin, who was with the operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Sunday at Shagamu interchange along Ijebu Ode, Ogun State during an anti-smuggling operation. The operatives had flagged down a passenger bus heading to Benin with 10 passengers on board. As usual, the operatives wanted to do their job of ensuring that no smuggled items were in the bus. This is fine. They had therefore asked all the passengers to disembark for a search on their luggage. The passengers initially opposed this, but had no choice than to obey. The customs operatives therefore moved in to conduct their search only to discover few bags that needed to be checked. The affected passengers had pleaded to be allowed to go, but as is traditional, the officer had an answer on how they could be freed. . And this was to demand for a bribe of N5,000 from the owner or owners of the bags who refused to play ball. This in turn infuriated the officer who as usual insisted on detaining the bus. What happened in the process was an argument in which the officer killed his own person, Godwin, described as a friend of the Customs. The young man, according to the Public Relations Officer of the Customs, Mr Joseph Attah, was said to be fetching water for the officers on the check point. Indications are that the young man may simply be a front who collects bribe for the officers. Usually, most officers in ‘strategic and juicy’ places have boys whose duties include receiving bribe for officers after negotiation has been concluded. There are many of them in the ports and border posts, and all they do is to receive bribe for officers. If you doubt this, visit customs check points, terminals or border posts, you will find them. Popularly known as kelebe they follow the officer to anywhere they are posted to, except in dry zones where there is nothing to collect. Attah had said about the deceased customs friend, “Contrary to some narratives, the young man was not a passenger of the bus but a good citizen who always come to fetch water for Customs Patrol men anytime they return to the base. Preliminary finding indicate that it was during the skirmishes and struggle to disarm the Officer that the riffle discharged and hit the friend of the Customs (Godwin) who lost his life. The Service is already in touch with the bereaved family”. What happened to Godwin is very unfortunate. Attah did not say that Godwin was kelebe, and no one expects him to do so. However, it is also for many to learn to be careful and keep away when tempers are high between arms carrying government operatives and others. Having fetched water for the operatives, the deceased did not need to stay close on noticing that the argument between the officers and the passengers had assumed another level. Although, one cannot blame him so much because the incident was not expected to degenerate to that level. First, the passengers were not carrying arms and could not have posed any serious danger to the officers.
When Truth is Bitter
Now, the truth about the customs friend Godwin is that he would have remained alive and up to his duty as kelebe, if his principals had been settled with N5,000 as they demanded. This is what the episode of Sunday proved to Nigerians. What this means is that except for arms and ammunition, smugglers could have their way if only they have money to bribe officers at strategic places. This explains why so many prohibited goods can be found in the market notwithstanding the line up of examination officers at the seaports, airports, border stations and those on the roads. Although, one of the customs image makers, Ado Idris Abdullhi claims that the issue of demand for N5,000 by the officers at Shagamu cannot be substantiated. And this is the kind of response one gets in any issue of bribe allegation. But for those who travel regularly on the Shagamu – Ore- Benin –Onitsha- Enugu – Benue road, there are several customs checkpoints whose officers harass passengers, car owners on these roads. This is even when it is clear that these cars/other goods had been examined by their colleagues at the point of entry. The target is usually for extortion. The worst scenario is that officers at the port/border levels are into double dealing with importers and their customs agents. What this means is that the importer is allowed to leave the ports/border stations with some level of infractions on his goods after he had settled resident officers only for the same unit of Customs to pass the information to their colleagues on the road. So, as the agent leaves the port/border in some cases, he is being awaited on the road for another round of settlement. The agent keeps settling the operatives all the way until he gets to his final destination – the warehouse. To industry watches, this is what the present leadership of the Customs, Rtd Col. Hammed Ali has not been able to address. The customs leadership needs to work hard to end all issues relating to infractions on imported goods at the point of entry to avoid the issue of double dealing among officers. There should be clear punishment for officers who collect bribe at the entry point level and keep blind eyes to infractions against importers only for the goods to be intercepted some meters away or on the express road for the same offence. Industry observers hold the strong view that every infraction such as under-declaration, concealment, under-invoicing, importation of prohibited goods should be settled at the entry points with penalties or otherwise so that once the goods are released, the importer cannot be held again for the same offence. If the customs management is able to discipline officers with three steps of de-ranking or outright dismissal depending on the level of offence, everyone should sit up. This will force importers, customs agents to rethink on trade crimes. Customs will even make more revenue genuinely.
About Post Author
