David Kanikwu Chucks (Secretary, Apapa ANLCA)
David Kanikwu Chucks (Secretary, Apapa ANLCA)
We have had cases of officers whose passwords were hacked, but our own observation at the port shows that some of the officers are not well grounded in computer application, they use camp boys to do their work for them. But we actually know that with the condition of the economy, these boys will work with the officers that engage them by day, but by night they will work for their personal pockets. Each time the word 'hacking' comes up we need to examine the level of literacy of the officers in computer application before we agree that their passwords were hacked or not, because they have the primary duty to safeguard their passwords, but some agents are subjected to rigorous punishments for something they did not do.
Ken Agoha (Vice Chair, Tin Can NAGAFF)
It takes two to tangle, what the fraudsters do mostly is to hack officers passwords, yet this is supposed to be the most secretive thing to an officer, many of them were given passwords. Anybody below the rank of Assistant Controller was not allowed to own a password, literally, it is like a oath of secrecy till death do you part, but when these officers now come up to say that somebody hacked into their passwords, if you check it, you will discover that most of the time, the officers are part of the deal, most of them are not computer literate. You will see them when they want to type in their passwords, they will use a piece of paper to block any other from seeing it then push the computer back to the junior officer or to the camp boy who actually does the releasing of the cargo, the bottom line behind hacking is that officers are not computer literate and they are forced to use somebody who is computer literate to help them do it, and when they want to deny their involvement in case it backfires, they will claim that their password was hacked, most of the time they are aware.
Brother Chukwudi Ike (Director General, ANLCA)
Honestly, the hacking of custom pin numbers has become very worrisome, but it is the custom that is giving rise to it, the CGC needs to oil the old wheels in the service so that they can be up to date, many of them who are releasing officers are not computer literate, thereby, in the course of using their camp boys to do their job they give out these pin numbers. It is just like an ATM pin number, nobody can know it except you. Nigeria is a very unique country where we often celebrate evil; some people know the culprits for this online job scams, even the authority and some security officers are privy to these things. The only way we can stop it is by alerting the security officers, let them be up and doing in their responsibilities so that it will not only stop the crime but erase the bad name that has been attributed to Nigeria, because this country is ours and the earlier we sanitize it the better for everybody.
Abdullahi Inde Dikko (Customs Comptroller General)
There is no way the system of Customs can be hacked. I am going to disgrace all the officers that are on investigation in Tin-Can Island. I have officers undercover in Lagos; they are here and you don’t know them. Some of them are even in Tin-Can Island Port. They are here taking stock of those officers who operate DTI, license and those running SGD (single good declaration forms). I must clean the system even if I am leaving tomorrow.
Sir Mike Jukwe (Registrar CRFFN)
Customs is under a competent hand and I know they are doing what is expected of them. With the Nigerian trade hub in place, it will help reduce and curb the menace of internet frauds and sharp practices because the portal will help Nigerians get any information. So Nigerians should seek for information from that portal and not any other site that is related or similar to that. Again it takes two to tangle, so it is only the greedy and selfish Nigerians that are easily deceived; either through auction sales or recruitment.
Chief Osita Chukwu Patrick (Coordinator SNFFIEC)
The Customs should be held responsible over the incessant scam by fraudsters. I have said this on several occasions that the issue of auction of consignment should not be online. I blame the government because they are using obsolete CEMA and it has given them the power to seize consignment. My advice to them is that they should check themselves very well because they are the people in the service and they are the people that have given out their passwords to internet fraudsters and they should also blame themselves for being unable to protect their website. The truth is that they should sit up properly and identify where the problem is coming from. The problem of internet fraud revolves around the service.
Stephen Ibeh (Port Activist)
Internet fraud on the website of the Nigeria Customs Service is not an issue that can be solved by members of the public, but the customs, because within themselves they have to advise the top echelon officers about the abuse of the codes and passwords to their site. If they are to tell themselves the truth, nobody will be able to access the customs' website in order to perpetuate any evil. My advice is that they should be careful with sensitive information they disseminate even among junior staff, because the younger one who graduated from higher institutions are intelligent when it comes to internet racket. So I believe the problem is an external factor and the sooner the customs is be able to address the fraudulent act, the better for them.
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