A viral video has shown a female officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) demanding a bribe from a passenger at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to media reports, in the less than two-minute clip, the customs officer was seen requesting the sum of N5,000 while clutching the trolley containing the passenger’s luggage.
The passenger was heard saying he could not afford the N5,000 sum, and the officer would go on to reduce the sum to N3,000.
The passenger again said he could not afford to pay the N3,000, which prompted the officer to ask, “How much do you have?”
The passenger said he could only afford to pay N1,000, a sum the customs officer angrily rejected.
However, reacting to the incident in a statement on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, the NCS Spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada, described the incident as “unprofessional conduct”, saying the officer’s action was “inconsistent” with the values of the agency.
Maiwada stated that a “comprehensive investigation” has commenced to ascertain what transpired during the incident.
“We wish to confirm that the Officer implicated is indeed a member of the Nigeria Customs Service, properly assigned to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Area Command,” the statement read.
The statement also encouraged passengers and the public to report any instances of misconduct or corruption promptly.
