• As Senate Pushes To Investigate Customs’ Alleged Unlawful Rice Raid In Sango Otta

Intimidated by the frightening prospects of worsening revenue profile, the  Comptroller- General of Customs (CGC), Retired Col. Hameed Ali, has approved one month of grace for all Nigerian vehicle owners who have not paid duty to do so or face forfeiture.

The gesture is expected to significantly drive revenue higher, even as a notable fraction could end up, losing their vehicles, to the Customs Service.

The Acting Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Mr Joseph Attah, who confirmed this in Abuja, also noted that the directive would apply to even the brand new vehicles, bought from car dealers.

He said that the CGC had given a window of one month, running from March 13 to April 12 for car owners to pay the appropriate duty on their vehicles.

The Public Relations Officer who noted that some owners of vehicles brought into the country through the land borders, obviously, did not pay duty, subsequently advised such vehicles owners to promptly comply by paying the duty on their vehicles.

Attah listed four Customs Zonal offices where authenticity of Car Customs duty could be verified; such as Zone A Headquarters, No 1, Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos; and Zone B Headquarters, Kabala Doki, Kaduna.

He mentioned other offices where duty could be verified as: Zone C Headquarters, Port Harcourt and Zone D Headquarters, Yelwa Tudu Road, Bauchi State.

Attah said that any vehicle owner in doubt,who was not sure of the authenticity of his Customs document, could approach the above zones closest to him to verify.

He said that after the deadline of the given period, Customs would embark on an aggressive anti-smuggling operation to seize vehicles as well as prosecute the owners.

The Customs spokesman said that since the ban on importation of vehicles through the land borders by the Federal Government, the service had been working to perfect the process of issuing licences for bonded vehicle terminals for car dealers.

Attah said that before the start of the process, “NCS is advising all car owners in Nigeria that have not paid duty on their vehicles to do so’’.

“Once we start issuing the licence, any vehicle already in the country with no evidence of duty payment, will be liable to seizure and the owner will be prosecuted.

“We advise Nigerians to take advantage given to them within the one month to go to our zonal offices closest to them to pay. Even those who are not too sure of the Customs document in their possessions, because some people may have ignorantly brought these vehicles with fake documents; they should go and verify.

“If they discover that what is in their possession is fake, they should just pay the duty.

“Immediately after the deadline, the NCS will embark on an aggressive anti-smuggling operation to arrest vehicle owners, seize the vehicles and prosecute the owners, ‘’ Attah said.

He said that “a smuggled vehicle is always a smuggled vehicle unless the appropriate duty is paid on it.”

According to him, the status of a smuggled vehicle never changed.

“The number of years of a smuggled vehicle does not change its status.

“We just advise that any person who knows that appropriate duty has not been paid on the vehicle he or she is using including motor dealers, who have collections of assorted cars in their car mart should go and pay duty, ‘’ Attah said.

In the meantime, the Senate on Thursday mandated its Committee on Customs, Tariff and Excise to investigate alleged unlawful raid of rice shops at Kayero Market, Sango Ota, Ogun by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that officials of the service were said to have raided the market on Feb. 22 and allegedly carted away goods and other commodities described as contraband.

The senate’s resolution followed a motion by Sen. Gbolahan Dada (Ogun-APC), who alleged that the Customs officers broke into shops and made away with goods worth billions of naira.

Dada argued that by the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act, the officers lacked constitutional and statutory powers to break into shops or premises without a valid court order or search warrant.

He said that by the provisions of the law, “even when such order or warrant is obtained, it must be executed in the presence of witnesses or concerned shop or premises owner.

Dada explained that the essence of that provision was to preserve the rule of law, avoid breakdown of law and order and prevent self-help remedies by aggrieved persons.

He said that the Sango Ota raid was not the first time officers of the service would engage in such perceived lawless action against Nigerian traders.

While condemning the act, Dada said that it was highly unconscionable for officers of Nigeria Customs Service to claim that the confiscated bags of rice and cartons of vegetable oil were smuggled products.

“The unlawful action of officers of Nigeria Customs Service for raiding shops indiscriminately and confiscating goods already in the country is becoming worrisome, disturbing and capable of breaching fragile peace we are enjoying in this country.

“If nothing is done by this hallowed chamber to stop unlawful raids of shops and confiscation of goods without obtaining valid court order or search warrant, a time is coming when Nigerians will resist such untoward action.”

In his contribution, Sen. Adamu Aliero (Kebbi-APC) opposed the motion, arguing that the Customs officers simply carried out their legitimate constitutional assignment and should not be queried by the parliament.

But, Sen. Murtala Nyako (Adamawa-APC) countered him, insisting that the matter must be investigated to ascertain the true position of the allegation, whether or not the officers acted within the law.

He pointed out that it was not proper for the officers to break into the shops of traders as alleged without authorization as specified by the law.

Nyako stressed that constituted authorities must respect the law of the land and the rights of citizens.

When put to voice vote by the Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the plenary, the motion was overwhelmingly supported and adopted.

Consequently, Ekweremadu directed the Committee of Customs, Tariffs and Excise to investigate the matter urgently.

Additional report from NAN