President Muhammadu Buhari has accepted the resignation of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, after six years on the saddle.
He had earlier written a letter dated August 3, 2015 informing Buhari of his desire to proceed on voluntary retirement from August 18.
The President personally signed a letter approving Abdullahi’s request which was dated August 14, thanking him for his services in the last six years.
Buhari letter was titled, “Voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service.” It reads: read, “Dear, Alhaji D.I. Abdullahi, I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter Ref. No. NCS/ADM/HQ/P. 35802 of August 3, 2015 conveying your decision to voluntarily retire from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from Tuesday, August 18, 2015.
“I note with appreciation your services to this nation, especially as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service in the last six years.
“Accordingly, I hereby approve your voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from August 18, 2015. I wish you the very best in your future endeavours.
“Yours sincerely, Muhammadu Buhari.”
Abdullahi had in his letter thanked Buhari for the confidence and trust reposed on him since the President was inaugurated on May 29.
Abdullahi said by August 18, he would be six years in office as the Comptroller-General.
He recalled that on assumption of office, he articulated a six-point agenda which he vigorously pursued.
He said the agenda had positively impacted on the efficiency and performance of officers and had drastically changed the negative perception of the Service.
Abdullahi said under his watch, the revenue collection into various coffers of government increased drastically.
He said his voluntary resignation will allow young blood to take over the mantle of leadership of the Service in order to sustain and improve on his legacy.
Abdullahi said, “while thanking Your Excellency and indeed Nigerians for the opportunity to serve and contribute my quota to the development of our fatherland, I wish to seek approval of Your Excellency to be allowed to retire voluntarily on August 18, 2015.
“This decision is taken with a view to allowing young bloods to takeover the mantle of leadership of the Service in order to sustain and improve on my legacy,” he noted.
Abdullahi told the President that under him, the NCS’s average monthly collection which was N29 billion in 2009, rose to between N90 billion and N100 billion as he bows out.
