Customs Probe Female Officer Soliciting N5000 Bribe From Airport Passenger

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, is investigating the unprofessional conduct of its female officer captured in a viral video, soliciting a N5000 bribe from a passenger at the Lagos international airport.

The video with an audio caption, ‘This is what happened to me in the new Nigeria airport; This customs officer asked me to give her N5000 for no reason’, captured the unfriendly banter between the passenger and the officer.

The verbal exchange at the New Terminal wing of the airport lasted for about two minutes and appeared to have delayed the passenger’s boarding process.

“So, N5000 is too much?”, she asked.

“I do not have,” the passenger replied in vernacular language.

“Ok, bring N3000,” the officer negotiated.

“I do not have,” the passenger insisted, adding, “Say what I will give to you”.

“So, how much do you have?,” the officer asked, further demanding N2000 from the passenger.

Irked by the back and forth, the passenger handed her N1000. The officer appeared unsatisfied and was later seen holding onto the luggage of the passenger.

“Why should you give me N1000… You will give N1000, for what?” she said

Reacting to the incident on Tuesday, the Customs Service in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada confirmed that the officer is a staff of the Service, assigned to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Area Command.

The statement partly read: “The NCS strongly condemns this unprofessional conduct and is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of professionalism.

“A comprehensive investigation is underway to scrutinise the incident thoroughly, and appropriate actions will be taken.

“Such behaviour is entirely inconsistent with the core values of our service, and we are resolute in maintaining a transparent and accountable customs operation.”

The NCS encouraged passengers and the public to promptly report any instances of misconduct or corruption, noting that such feedback is crucial in upholding the integrity of the service and ensuring that officers adhere to the highest ethical standards.

“The NCS is unwavering in its commitment to fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. The outcome of the investigation will be communicated to the public at the earliest opportunity,” the statement said.