Monday’s encounter between Senate ad hoc committee members and the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (retd) at the NCS headquarters in Abuja threw up dramatic scenes which started over the refusal of the latter to come downstairs to welcome the lawmakers upon arrival.

Members of the Senate ad hoc committee on Economic Waste had arrived the Zone 3 Abuja headquarters of the NCS to carry out some investigations in purported economic waste in the Service. They included Senators Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West), Sam Anyanwu (PDP Imo East), Gilbert Nnaji (PDP Enugu East), Hamman Isah Misau (APC Bauchi Central) and Babajide Omoworare (APC Osun East).

It all started when Melaye observed that the Customs CG breached protocol by not coming down from his office to receive members of the committee into the premises but rather waited to meet them at the conference room.

Noting that the protocol had been observed by statutory bodies like Customs, Immigration and Prisons over the years, he wondered why Ali did not accord the committee such courtesy.

Melaye drew the attention of the Customs CG to the fact that the meeting was like a typical Senate session, thus must be treated with respect despite the fact that it was taking place at the headquarters of the NCS. To drive home his point, the lawmaker hit the gavel on the table before him to declare the meeting open.

read more: https://newsworth.ng/senators-tackle-ali-breaching-protocol-suffer-humiliation-customs-headquarters/

Ali is just treating these lawmakers the way he likes. I'm sure he didn't wear uniform as usual and the lawmakers now pretend they didn't notice it but now talking about not coming out of his office. But the "upright" Buhari will look the other way. Una dey act comedy for this con3 sha.

With all the problems bedevilling Nigeria is protocol such a big deal?