Customs threaten vehicle dealers as Senate probes rice seizure

THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has threatened vehicle dealers and private vehicle owners whose vehicles were illegally brought into the country, asking them to regularise their duty or lose such vehicles.

This came as Senate orders its committee on Customs and Excise, headed by Senator Hope Uzordinma, to immediately investigate the seizure of 4,550 bags of rice by the Service.

The Customs have been in the news recently over nucturnal clampdown on rice markets in Ogun, Oyo, Osun states, with traders lamenting their losses after each raid.

But not yet done with rice traders, the Customs, on Thursday, asked vehicle dealers and owners with irregular papers to regularise their duty or forfeit such vehicles.

According to a statement signed by the NCS national spokesman, Joseph Attah, owners of such vehicles had between Monday, March 13 and Wednesday, April 12, to comply or face sanction.

According to the statement, “the Comptroller-General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (retd), has approved a grace period of one month, between Monday, March 13 and Wednesday, April 12, 2017 for owners of all vehicles within the country whose Customs duty has not been paid to do so.

“Consequently, all motor dealers and private owners of such vehicles are advised to visit the nearest Customs zonal office to pay the appropriate Customs duty on them.

“The CGC, therefore, calls on all persons in possession of such vehicles to take advantage of the grace period to pay appropriate duties on them, as there will be an aggressive anti-smuggling operation to seize, as well as prosecute owners of such smuggled vehicles after the deadline of Wednesday, April 12, 2017.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all private car owners who are not sure of the authenticity of their vehicles’ Customs documents can also approach the zonal offices to verify with a view to complying with the provision of the law.”

Meanwhile, at the plenary presided over by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, the Senate asked its committee to probe Customs over rice seizure, following the adoption of a motion by Senator Gbolahan Dada on Thursday.

Senator Dada had, through a point of order, asked the Senate to investigate the seizure of bags of rice by men of the NCS, who raided shops of rice sellers in Ota, Ogun State.

He said the Senate was worried over the alleged seizure of 4,550 bags of rice from marketers in the state by men of the Customs.

The service had alleged that the traders were aiding and abetting rice smuggling across the borders by selling the products in the country.

But the marketers accused the customs of breaking into their shops at night and carting away bags of rice, vegetable oil and money kept in the shops.

Ekweremadu ruled in favour of the prayers by Senator Dada, as the lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favour of the probe of Customs.