A former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko, is dead.
Public Relations Officer of NCS, Joseph Attah, who confirmed his passing on Thursday said the former Customs boss died after a protracted illness at the age of 60.
“The family of the former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde announced his passing away. His funeral prayers (Janaza) will hold today after Jumaat prayers at the National Mosque Abuja,” the statement reads.
“I was in the hospital yesterday between 4 pm and 5 pm yesterday (Wednesday) and the doctor said he was improving and that if he made it to Sunday, we are good,” one close associate said.
“He came back to Nigeria to recuperate two months ago but it (cancer) came back aggressive two weeks ago,” the source added.
Mr Dikko was born in 1960 in Musawa Local Government Area of Katsina State. He joined the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in 1988.
He was appointed comptroller-general of the NCS by former President Umaru Yar’adua in 2009 and served in the office until 2015.
The deceased attended Government College, Kaduna, from 1974 and obtained the West African Senior School Certificate in 1980.
He later obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and a Master of Science degree in Finance from the University of Dimitrov Apostle Tshenov, Svishtov, Bulgaria.
He served in various customs commands, including Seme Border, Tincan Island Port, Apapa, Imo Command, Kaduna, Badagry Area Command, Investigation and Inspection Headquarters, Abuja.
He also worked at Badagry Area Command before he was appointed as Controller-General of NCS on August 26, 2009. His tenure was blighted by several allegations of corruption.
