By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar said yesterday that he was never sacked from the Customs Service as it is being insinuated from some quarters, just as he stressed that he resigned voluntarily April 28, 1989.

According to Atiku, he wrote the letter with reference number, CE/EXC/P 7370 then at the Headquarters, Ministry of Internal Affairs and addressed it to the Secretary, Customs, Immigration and Prisons Service Board, Gwagwalada, through the Director, Customs and Excise, Garki, Abuja.

The letter which was made available to Vanguard, yesterday and titled ‘’Voluntary Retirement from the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria”, read: ‘’I hereby give notice of my voluntary retirement from the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria with effect from  April 30, 1989.

Consequently, I enclose herewith receipt number of being three months salary in lieu of notice. I joined the Civil Service of the Federation on June 30, 1969.

‘’All Government property in my possession shall be duly returned to the stores whilst my gratuity is to be used to settle the balance of my housing loan.

‘’I hereby convey my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Government of the Federation and in particular the Department of Customs and Excise for giving me an opportunity to serve for twenty years.