By Godwin Oritse

LAGOS – THE indefinite suspension slammed on five senior customs officers at the Tin Can Island Port, TCIP, command, Lagos of the Nigeria Customs Service, following alleged loss of revenue through unwholesome release of certain goods at the Port last September, has been lifted.

Officers affected included Halilu A. R; Lawal, B. K; Ibrahim, L. G; Ukonu, A. U and Shinkafi, M. F.

Vanguard gathered that after a thorough investigation, the officers were found not culpable.

Reprieve for the officers came through a letter by Assistant Comptroller General, Finance, Administration, Trade and Statistics, Alhaji Idris Suleiman.

The letter read: “I am directed to refer to the suspension of the under-listed five Assistant Comptrollers serving in your Area Command and inform you that after a thorough investigation of the case leading to their suspension, they were not found innocent of the charges against them.

“They were exonerated by management after signing undertaking not to allow themselves to be used for loss of revenue in future.”

It was gathered that the officers’ travail came as a result of an allegation that some goods, including vehicles, were cleared under their supervision without payment of appropriate import duty.

As the report got to Abuja, it was learnt, the management on September 9, 2011, without investigation, ordered for their suspension, even as the officers maintained that they were innocent of the alleged offence.

It was learnt that it was after the sanction that a probe was later ordered to ascertain their level of their culpability.