The Federal Government may have ordered security agents at the nation’s airports and borders to place embattled Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko, under arrest as soon as he is sighted.
It was learnt on Saturday, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had trailed the ex-customs boss to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
On Friday, at about 10am, EFCC operatives in two buses had stormed Dikko’s residence at Jabi in Abuja and conducted a thorough search.
Sources within the anti-graft agency said the search took several hours and only ended at about dusk. However, the agents did not meet Dikko at home.
The EFCC was reported to be looking for huge amounts of money, in dollars, believed to be stashed in a residential building owned by the former customs chief. It was not clear whether the EFCC had found anything incriminating in Dikko’s residence.
On Saturday, the EFCC had relaxed the siege on the residence of the former Comptroller General of Customs. But a senior official of the commission on Saturday said the EFCC had learnt that Dikko had travelled to Dubai. He said that the former CG of customs would be arrested on his arrival back into the country as security agents at airports had been alerted to do so.
The source did not give the reason for Dikko’s trip to Dubai. He also refused to speak on the specifics of the investigation or the reason for the high-profile raid.
It was also gathered that a high-powered delegation of top operatives of the commission was billed to travel outside the country for a mission connected with the ongoing investigation.
The source said, “The commission has information that the man is in Dubai. I can’t say precisely why he is in the UAE; you know that most of our leaders have one problem or the other, medically, which makes them travel out. But we have informed airport authorities in Lagos and Abuja to pick him up as soon as he arrives.”
When contacted, the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said, “I do not have any information on the issue.”
However, a relative of the ex-customs boss, Mohammed Usman, had on Friday alleged that the EFCC did not secure a search warrant before raiding the house.
Usman, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria, said “The information I gathered showed that the operatives, numbering about seven, were in the house to carry out a search for documents.
“A team of about seven operatives of the EFCC in company with some armed policemen arrived at the residence at about 7am and have been in the house for the past five hours.
“From the information available to me, no search warrant was presented before the commencement of the search. As I speak to you, they are currently in my uncle’s bedroom carrying out the search in his absence.”
Usman also expressed misgivings that the operation was carried out in the absence of the former comptroller-general.
“The only people in the house at the commencement of this search and even till now are his children who are below the age of 18,” he said
The search, according to reports, might not be unconnected with the Federal Government’s investigation into revenue generating agencies, including customs and Nigerian Maritime Administration Agency.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration is said to be investigating these agencies over non-remittance of revenues into government coffers.
When Dikko was about to end his tenure, there were allegations of corruption against him by groups, which said he did not manage the Customs well.
One of the groups, the Nigerian Customs Transparency Initiative, had sent a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and the EFCC.
It had accused Dikko of abusing his office, adding that some containers disappeared from some port terminals without trace during his tenure.
The NCTI also claimed that the conditions, on which the Customs, under Dikko’s supervision, spent N3.5bn to upgrade the service’s Internet facilities, were not transparent and must be investigated
But supporters of the former customs helmsman had said he introduced major reforms during his tenure. They added that the reforms led to increased revenue for the Federal Government.
Dikko was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 26, 2009. He retired from service on August 17, 2015.
https://www.today.ng/news/national/63888/fg-orders-arrest-of-ex-customs-boss-at-airport

If he is arrested and found guilty, bon voyage to him en route prison.

Baba is serious about this corruption fight, his kinsmen are not exempted. Wailers should take note.

God bless Nigeria.

hhhhmmmm

Thank God he is from Katsina, a Fulani and a civil servant.

That man is guilty.... he resigned as soon as buhari won....... who does that??

Arrest dem all.... Nationalise dem to Chinese den charge dem with same crime, make dem die by samurai sword stabbing... A won oloshi jatijati

Him sef join for the gate?

I love hearing such news

This fight against corruption must be won.


Well done Buhari

Was he going for a medical checkup? They should take him to general hospital Daura.

Awon thief thief jati jati.

What I know is that he will also be released within a week. Efcc should please make indept investigation before prosection

Alhaji Dikko, you might as well have your medcals since you are still outside the shores oF Nigeria. Please have your doctor prescribe a years dosage of whatever it is tokeep you alive and healthy.

PMB doesnt care about the judicary neither does he give a rats hindie whatever bail cndition you are given. So even if Muhammed Stands as surety. . .still won't budge!

Here's wishing you all the luck in the world as we await your return and evental arrest and detention.

Is his name not Dikko? Abeg arrange better crate for him and bundle him back....

Bonkom

Where are the IPOB Youths, to come and defend him as Usual.

I swear this guy would rather run to Iran than return to Nigeria

LOL @yomexp

yomexp:
I swear this guy would rather run to Iran than return to Nigeria

Funny

PMB keeps sending d positive signal all d way. i thought Dikko's frm Katsina.
let's stop defending d not-so-clean among us however much of our blood they can be.

Sai Baba

this news is so true, I was passing through Dikko's house in Jabi and I saw two buses parked in front of his house with some Armed EFCC police in the front gate. so the Dikko no dey naija sef

Baba doing what he was voted to do since 2015.

Dasukigate seems to have given the EFCC some much needed bite.

Distractions. The cases will be in court till 2018

I wonder what took so long. He should have been the first person on the EFCC's list...well maybe second after Dasuki. All the same he is certainly one of the most corrupt people in this country.

Jonathan Sef!

Amazing

I have noticed a new handle in form of Super Mod working on Nairaland. Guess who?

I am coming

omenka:
Was he going for a medical checkup? They should take him to general hospital Daura.

Awon thief thief jati jati.

I wonder why they all decide to go abroad for medical check up once the search lights from the anti-graft agencies are beamed on them.

Buhari should have given us one point agenda during his campaign. It is obvious that only corruption is on his mind

They are definitely aware that they will develop medical problems after eating the yam, yet they still ate it! Haan!