Senate has no right to order Customs boss - Falana

- Femi Falan has lashed out at the Nigerian Senate for trying to lord over Hameed Ali

- The human rights activist, says the Senate has no authority over the Customs boss

- Falana says the summons on the CGC are illegal

Femi Falana has said the Upper Legislative Chamber has no lawful authority to summon the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Col Hameed Ali (rtd).

The human rights lawyer's claim, comes on the heels of the senate’s invitation to the CGC, over not wearing his uniform.

Senate has no right to order Customs boss - Falana

The senate had recently invited the Customs comptroller-general to justify his agency’s decision to compel all vehicle owners in the country to pay duties on their imported vehicles.

In a statement he signed, the lawyer maintained that Senate’s invitation extended to Ali was unconstitutional.

Citing the Court of Appeal decision in the case of El-rufai vs House of Representatives, where the court, relied on the case of Senate of the National Assembly vs Tony Momoh, Falana held that, “The Senate lacks the vires to summon the CGC on policy matters.

“Indeed the oversight power of either House of the National Assembly is not at large but limited by section 88 (2) of the Constitution.

“In the instant case, the Senate is not conducting an investigation but challenging the policy of the Nigeria Customs Service on payment of duties.

“With respect, the summons served on the CGC is illegal and unconstitutional as it cannot be justified under section 88(2) of the Constitution.”

Falana also frowned at senate’s stance that the Custom boss must appear in uniform.

He said: “Neither the Constitution not the Rules of Procedure of the Senate has conferred on it the power to compel the CGC to wear customs union when he is not a serving customs officer.

“Indeed, the directive is a reckless usurpation of the powers of the board which is the only competent body to decide on the wearing of uniform by customs officer.

“Col. Ali cannot be made to wear any uniform by the Senate.”

There are claims that the alleged cause of ongoing war between the Nigerian Senate and Hameed Ali, is linked to a vendetta by the Senate, after officials of the Nigeria Customs service reportedly seized a bulletproof Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) owned by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Sahara Reporters reports that Nigerian Customs officers in Lagos had on January 11, 2017 intercepted and impounded a Range Rover SUV which carried documents that claimed its chassis number was “SALGV3TF3EA190243.”

The value of the car was N298 million, and the customs duty of N74 million should have been paid on the car.