Fraud Allegations: Customs Comptroller General’s Age Forgery Exposed

 Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, has been found to have used two different dates of birth on official documents at various points in his career. These discrepancies were uncovered through an investigation. 

Documents show that Adeniyi manipulated the system by using different birth dates to his advantage. For example, he listed January 19, 1964, as his date of birth on his curriculum vitae when he was employed by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in 1981 and again when he applied for a position with the Nigeria Customs Service in 1990.

According to these documents, Adeniyi turned 60 on January 19, 2024, at which point he should have retired under public service rules. However, his age falsification has allowed him to remain in service beyond the mandatory retirement age. Adeniyi now claims his date of birth is January 13, 1966.

A source revealed, "He is still in service because he falsified his date of birth by changing it from January 19, 1964, to January 13, 1966. Based on his real age, he should have retired from federal service in January, but he used his position and connections to falsify, alter, and manipulate his records to attain his current position."

Additionally, the documents indicate that Adeniyi altered his years of service to extend his tenure with the Customs Service. He graduated from secondary school in 1979 and started working for the NRC in 1981 as a Public Relations Assistant. He served as a public servant at the NRC until 1990, before joining the Nigeria Customs Service.

When documenting for the Customs job in 1990, he included his nine years of public service experience from the NRC in his application. His Customs staff information form, numbered 39554, shows that he was appointed as an Assistant Superintendent of Customs on November 2, 1990.

Further information provided by Adeniyi includes his education background: he attended the University of Ife from October 1983 to June 1987, earning a BSc in International Relations, and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism in 1989 and 1990. He also claimed to have learned French at Alliance Francaise in Ibadan, Oyo State, and attended Modakeke High School and Ejigbo Baptist High School.

Falsification of age is a serious criminal offense in Nigeria, classified as forgery. Under Section 463 of the Criminal Code, forgery carries a penalty of three years' imprisonment. Sections 362 to 364 of the Penal Code stipulate penalties for forgery offenses, with sentences up to 14 years in prison.

When contacted for a response, Adeniyi directed inquiries to the Customs spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada. However, multiple calls and messages to Maiwada went unanswered. Adeniyi also did not respond to follow-up messages informing him of Maiwada's non-response.