A former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko, is dead.
He died on Thursday at the age of 61 years.
His younger brother and district head of Musawa in Katsina State, Sagir Inde, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES.
He said Mr Dikko died while receiving treatment at a hospital in Abuja.
The district head did not disclose the ailment for which the late customs officer was treated. But associates of the late public servant told PREMIUM TIMES he died of cancer.
“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 said Mr Dikko had sought treatment abroad for his condition.
“He came back to Nigeria to recuperate two months ago but it (cancer) came back aggressive two weeks ago,” he added.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the funeral prayer for the departed customs officer has been fixed for Friday after Jumaat service at the national mosque, Abuja.
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.
