President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension for the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, amid ongoing legal and public controversies.
The extension, effective from May 5, 2025, was confirmed through a presidential directive dated December 5, 2024, extending Adeniyi’s service until May 5, 2026, according to sources within the NCS.
Adeniyi, appointed as Comptroller-General on October 19, 2023, under the Public Service Rules (PSR), was initially set to retire in May 2025 upon completing 35 years of service.
The extension has sparked a lawsuit filed by human rights activist Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi at the Federal High Court in Lagos (FHC/L/CS/1495/2025), challenging its legality.
Akinyemi argues that the extension violates the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and the 1999 Constitution, describing it as an abuse of executive power that undermines due process and institutional integrity.
The suit names President Tinubu, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, the NCS, its Governing Board, and Adeniyi as respondents.
The decision follows a pattern of tenure extensions for senior officers, with Tinubu previously approving a 12-month extension for 12 NCS officers due for retirement, a move that drew criticism for impeding career progression within the service.
In April 2025, the NCS refuted claims of an earlier extension for Adeniyi, calling such reports “false and misleading.”
However, the recent presidential approval has reignited debates over compliance with public service regulations.
The NCS is yet to issue an official statement on the extension, and the lawsuit remains pending. The development continues to fuel discussions on transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s public service appointments.
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