The Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, has on Tuesday highlighted the reasons he will not appear before the Senate as summoned last week.

Following a summon to appear before the Senate for questioning last Thursday, Mr Ali was turned away when he appeared before the lawmakers without the Customs uniform as directed. He was therefore mandated to reappear before the Senate on Wednesday this week.

The Customs boss has, however, given reasons he will not honour the Senate with his presence, saying that the matter had become a subject of judicial intervention and honouring the summons could prove prejudicial.

He siad “The case is in court already. Somebody has sued us. I have gotten my writ of summons and they said status quo ante should remain; which means nothing should be done until the court makes a pronouncement.

“A private individual sued all of us; he wants an interpretation of the section that is in contention. I don’t want to talk so that I am not held in contempt of court.”

Similarly, Joseph Attah, NCS spokesperson said that Mr. Ali will not be honouring the mandatory appearance which senators issued to him last week, adding that 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.

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.