A landmark jinx of 63 years has been crushed as President Muhammadu Buhari today assented to the Customs and Excise Management Act amendment bill, 2022.

The proposed legislation is titled: “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and other Customs and Excise Legislation and Enact the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2022 to Provide for the Reform of the Administration and Management of Customs and Excise in Nigeria; and for Related Matters.”

“This is genuine, realistic Restructuring — through the Constitution for the Nigeria Customs Service”.

Under the new Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2022 sponsored by Hon. Leke Abejide.

It seeks to position the Nigerian Customs Service to be financially stable to recruit the required number of officers needed to man Nigeria’s porous border stations.

And most importantly the Bill provides that President shall appoint a career Officer not below the rank of Assistant Comptroller General of Customs as Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service which means the current Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali rtd will be the last non-career Officer to hold the position of Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service.

The bill provides stiffer punishments for offenders to act as deterrence for serious economic crimes of Customs and Excise oriented, thereby encouraging more revenue in the area of fine payment.

The bill has received Presidential assent, as it was perfect for approval to serve as an act for the Nigeria Customs Service.