The comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs Service, Colonel Hammed Ali (Rtd) has said that the resignation exercise by some of its staff may not be unconnected to the restructuring exercise in the service.

Speaking to reporters on Monday after a visit to some Federal Government establishments to foster revenue generation for the Customs, Col. Ali, however, dismissed rumours that more officers of the service were on their way to putting in their resignations.

He emphasised that the Nigeria Customs Service remained committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in its desire to improve revenue generation.

The Comptroller-General of Customs stated that the retirements were part of measures to kick-start the repositioning of the Service for improved performance.

In a statement earlier, the spokesman for the Customs, Wale Adeniyi, said 34 Senior Officers had been retired from Service with immediate effect, as part of on-going re-organisation in Nigeria Customs Service.

He said that the re-organisation of the Service was one of the core mandates of the Comptroller-General of Customs.

Those affected in the exercise are five Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs (DCGs) who have earlier given notification to the Comptroller-General for voluntary disengagement. They are John Atte, Ibrahim Mera, Musa Tahir, Austin Nwosu and Akinade Adewuyi.

Three others, of the rank of Assistant Comptroller-General were also affected in the re-organisation exercise. They are Madu Mohammed, Secretary to the Nigeria Customs Board, Victor Gbemudu, Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘A’ and Bello Liman, Assistant Comptroller-General, (Headquarters).

The rest are of the rank of Comptrollers serving in Customs Headquarters, Zonal Offices and various Area Commands.