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Ali Won’t Appear Before Senate, Today – NCS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said yesterday that its embattled Comptroller-General will not appear before the Senate today against the directive of the upper Legislative chamber last week.
Joseph Attah, NCS spokesperson, told newsmen Tuesday evening that Hameed Ali will not be honouring the mandatory appearance which senators issued to him last week.
Consequently, the instruction that Mr. Ali must appear in uniform will also be discarded, Mr. Attah said.
Mr. Attah said Mr. Ali’s decision not to appear before the Senate on Wednesday was based on a written instruction from the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
He said Mr. Malami was acting based on a writ of summons filed by a lawyer in Abuja.
The lawyer, identified as Mohammed Ibrahim, dragged Mr. Ali, the Senate, the Attorney General and the Nigerian government before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, seeking judicial intervention in the ongoing controversy about Mr. Ali’s refusal to wear Customs uniform.
Mr. Attah said Mr. Ali “just received a written advice from the Attorney-General’s office urging all parties to stay action on the matter.”
The spokesman further stated that, “based on that new development,” Mr. Ali “will not be appearing before the Senate tomorrow.”
He said the Senate was also copied in the advice issued by Mr. Malami for all parties to stay action.
In his suit, Mr. Ibrahim asked the court to clarify if there is any legal basis for Senate’s demand that Mr. Ali must appear before it in uniform.
The Tide correspondent saw a copy of the court filing Tuesday evening.
Senate spokesperson, Sabi Abdullahi, could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening. His number indicated it was switched off.
A spokesman for the Attorney-General was not available for comments Tuesday evening.
Senators chased Mr. Ali out of the chambers after he appeared before them in a cloth other than his Customs uniform.
Mr. Ali, a retired colonel, has not been seen in Customs uniform since he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, sparking confrontation between him and senators who threatened serious consequences if he failed to do so by Wednesday.
Earlier this month, he told the lawmakers he was not appointed to wear uniform, in an apparent response to their request that he must appear in appropriate uniform.
Mr. Ali’s supporters have argued that he was not a career Customs official and had already
worn the uniform of the Nigerian Army where he rose to be a colonel and thus could not wear the uniform of a para-military agency like the Customs.
But our correspondent findings revealed last week that one of Mr. Ali’s predecessors, Bello Haliru, wore uniform despite being appointed outside the service.
Our findings also showed that Haladu Hananiya, a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, wore the agency’s uniform even though his appointment came years after he retired as a major general in the Nigerian Army.
But Mr. Attah said Nigerians should look at Mr. Ali’s performance since he took charge of Customs nearly two years ago rather than focusing on uniform.
“He was appointed to restructure, reform and raise revenue for the country and he has been found to have performed greatly,” he told our source last week.
The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Segun Aina, has resolved more than 5,000 pending complaints within five days, in a bid to improve service delivery to candidates.
?This is disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Acting Director, Public Affairs and Protocol, JAMB, Fabian Benjamin.
?Benjamin said the development followed Aina’s decision to strengthen the Board’s Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM) Unit to ensure the prompt resolution of outstanding complaints.
?He said the Registrar had relocated his seat to the SERVICOM Unit to gain first-hand knowledge of the nature of services being sought by candidates and other clients and to facilitate the resolution of pending cases.
?According to him, the move is in line with the Registrar’s Five Enduring Pillars, particularly the second pillar, “Service at Heart”.
He added that the Registrar’s move was to ensure his commitment to leveraging strategic communication to reposition the Board and deliver services commensurate with the fees paid by candidates.
?He noted that Aina had directed SERVICOM Desk Officers to address complaints holistically and promptly.
?Benjamin said the directive had already begun to yield positive results, with more than 5,000 pending and unresolved complaints addressed within five days.
?He said the complaints covered a wide range of issues, including difficulties in creating profile codes by candidates who had previously registered with telephone numbers to which they no longer had access.
?He added that biometric verification challenges were also addressed, including genuine cases of biometric failures encountered during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration or examination.
?He further said that the Registrar also scrutinised the operations of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), where issues relating to lost phones and SIM cards, candidates who converted from Direct Entry (DE) to UTME, and candidates omitted from the National Matriculation List after graduation were identified and addressed.
?He also noted that some previously unresolved payment-related issues were swiftly resolved, alongside complaints concerning inappropriate examination venues, e-PINs, technical challenges and difficulties with the uploading of documents.
?According to him, other recurring complaints relating to changes of name, date of birth, state and local government of origin were also addressed.
?The acting director said the initiative underscored the Registrar’s commitment to placing candidates and other clients at the centre of the Board’s operations.
?He said JAMB would continue to strengthen its complaint-resolution mechanisms to ensure that candidates received timely and efficient services.
The Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) 2026 is set to make a significant impact on Nigeria’s creative and tourism landscape as filmmakers, industry professionals, cultural enthusiasts and international guests converge on the historic and culturally rich Bonny Island, Rivers State, for the fourth edition of the festival.
Scheduled to hold from 29 October to 1 November 2026, RIFF 2026 is expected to bring together creative talents from Nigeria and across the world for four days of film screenings, industry conversations, masterclasses, networking opportunities, cultural experiences and celebrations of cinematic excellence.
The festival is being organised around the theme, “Film Tourism: A Pathway to Economic Development,” highlighting the powerful relationship between the film industry, tourism and the wider creative economy. This is with the view to promote cultural preservation, youth empowerment and economic development.
Speaking on the forthcoming fourth edition of the festival, the founder, Rivers International Film Festival/National Chairman Film Festivals Association of Nigeria, Kate Ezeigbo, said that the efforts of RIFF in conjunction with the Rivers State Government have not gone unnoticed.
According to her, “The growing significance of the Rivers International Film Festival has received commendation from the Honourable Minister for Arts, Entertainment , Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who acknowledged the important role being played by the Rivers State Government and RIFF in advancing the creative sector.
The Minister stated: “I am aware that the Rivers State Government, backed by the Rivers International Film Festival, partnered with Entertainment Stakeholders, encourages the use of film and art for cultural preservation and youth empowerment. This really will make Nigeria the cultural and creative hub of Africa and Rivers State is taking a huge step in claiming that position.”
The commendation is seen as a major recognition of the festival’s vision and its commitment to using the creative industry as a vehicle for cultural development, youth engagement, tourism promotion and economic growth.
A total of 147 structures in Lagos will be affected by the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway service lane.
President Bola Tinubu made this known on Sunday at a stakeholder engagement and flag-off of repair works on Eko Bridge and Marine Bridge in Lagos, and the flooded section of Lagos- Ibadan Expressway.
The president said that, of the 147 structures, five would be cut fully and the others minimally.
Tinubu was represented by Lagos State Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The President noted that Eko Bridge was one of the oldest bridges constructed after Nigeria’s independence, adding that Marine Bridge provided access to the seaports in Lagos State.
He urged Lagos State Government to remain on a trajectory of irreversible development in every nook and cranny of this state.
”Today, in particular, is a day on which we have had extensive stakeholder engagement. We are truly happy with the turnout,” he said.
Tinubu said that the Federal Government had undertaken extensive renovation works in Lagos State.
“As a government, we must acknowledge and appreciate the efforts that have been made. This is about recognising the real work on ground.”
He thanked the stakeholders, saying they had always turned out to discuss with the government anytime needed.
Tinubu praised the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, for his efforts in road infrastructure development.
“For all of us to enjoy the full benefit of infrastructure, we have to shift a bit, so that it becomes an asset that will outlive all of us.”
He said that the stakeholder engagement was aimed at seeking support of the people toward implementation of the projects.
He gave the assurance that the Federal Government would make compensations where necessary.
“It will be given to you at the right time.
” There are days when we accept criticism for us to do better, but there are days when things have been done and they have been done right, and we need to give recognition and support where it is most deserving.
“It is my honour to flag off all of these projects to the benefit of mankind, to our citizens in Lagos, to the benefit of all our people across the country,” Tinubu said.