UPDATED: Tinubu extends tenure of Customs CG
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday extended the tenure of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi by one year amidst legal suit challenging the CG’s continued stay in office. Adeniyi’s tenure extention was announced in a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga adding that the decision was premised on Adeniyi’s impressive performance. This is […]
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday extended the tenure of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi by one year amidst legal suit challenging the CG’s continued stay in office.
Adeniyi’s tenure extention was announced in a statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga adding that the decision was premised on Adeniyi’s impressive performance.
This is coming on the heals of a legal suit instituted by a human rights activist and social Crusader, Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi challenging Adeniyi’s continued stay when he ought to have exited.
Also the tenure extension is coming alongside an earlier publication which alleged that the CG Customs had falsified his age to remain in Service.
Back story
Daily Trust reports that there have been controversies surrounding the appointment of Adeniyi and his continued stay in office over age falsification as well as a legal suit recently instituted against him.
On June 9, an online platform, not Daily Trust reported exclusively that different documents showed that Adeniyi at different times in his career used these two dates of birth to manipulate the system in his favour.
“For instance, the customs boss used January 19, 1964, as his date of birth on his curriculum vitae when he was employed in the service of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in 1981.
“He also used the same birth date when he was applying for employment in the customs service in 1990.
“The documents revealed the customs boss turned 60 on January 19, 2024, by which time he should have retired based on public service rules.
“The documents revealed the customs boss turned 60 on January 19, 2024, by which time he should have retired based on public service rules.
“However, his age falsification has enabled him to remain in service beyond 60 years of age. Adeniyi now claims that he was born on January 13, 1966, in his curriculum vitae.
“He is still in service because he falsified his date of birth by changing it from January 19, 1964 to January 13, 1966,” the Online platform had reported in June 2024
However, in a swift reaction, the Customs CG raised an alarm over the allegations which he described as “faceless individuals” trying to distract him from his duties by attempting to spread misleading information about his record of service
He said that he had nothing to hide, saying that he was aware that certain individuals (not named) were out to distract him from carrying out his lawful duties.
He said that he rose to the pinnacle of his career through hard work, dedication and sacrifice, with unblemished record of service, adding that “when you set out to fight corruption in a clime like ours, corruption will always fight back”.
The Customs CG said together with his team, he is dedicating his energy and expertise to helping to actualise President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of building a stronger and more virile economy for the country.
Legal suit
Similarly, Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, a human rights activist approached a Federal High Court in Lagos to challenge the legality or otherwise of the tenure extension of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, by President Bola Tinubu.
The suit (FHC/L/CS/1495/2025) was brought according to the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, and relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
The suit had President Bola Tinubu, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; Nigeria Customs Service; Nigeria Customs Service Governing Board; Office of the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs and Excise Services; and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as respondents.
Addressing journalists in Enugu, the claimant’s counsel, Newworth LLP (Legal practitioners), said that the originating summons challenged the purported extension or continued stay in office of the Customs Comptroller-General, Adeniyi, beyond May 5, 2025, which marked the end of his statutory tenure.
According to the plaintiff’s counsel, the issues for determination are: “Whether the president has the constitutional or statutory authority under Section 14(1) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (2023 as amended) to extend the tenure of Adeniyi after he proceeds on terminal leave.
“Whether Adeniyi can legally continue to act in the capacity of Comptroller-General beyond his exit date without violating the rights and due process expectations of Nigerians, particularly Dr. Akinyemi, who claims this impinges on his right to life, dignity, and democratic governance.”
They said that they were seeking relief for judicial declarations that any such extension or continued stay in office is illegal and unconstitutional.
“Restraining orders barring both the president and Adeniyi from executing or accepting any of such tenure extension. Any further orders the court deems just in the interest of constitutional order and rule of law.”
They said that they were seeking relief for judicial declarations that any such extension or continued stay in office is illegal and unconstitutional.
“Restraining orders barring both the president and Adeniyi from executing or accepting any of such tenure extension. Any further orders the court deems just in the interest of constitutional order and rule of law.”
They added that the suit underscores a growing concern over the abuse of executive powers in the appointment and tenure elongation of key public office holders, often at the expense of the constitution, institutional integrity, and the public interest.
One year tenure extension for Adeniyi
Meanwhile, Daily Trust reports that President Bola Tinubu had approved a one-year extension of the tenure for Adeniyi, whose tenure was initially set to expire on August 31, 2025, and is now set to remain in office until August 2026.
According to a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the extension is aimed at allowing Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete key initiatives of the Tinubu administration.
These include the modernisation of the Customs Service, implementation of the National Single Window Project, and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.
“President Tinubu recognises Mr. Adeniyi’s steadfast leadership and commitment to service.
“The President is confident that this extension will further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in achieving its strategic mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security,” the statement read.
Adeniyi, who took over from former CG Hameed Ali in June 2023, had initially been appointed in an acting capacity before his confirmation in October of the same year.