The Customs Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone C of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Compt. Mike Ugbagu, on Friday, urged vehicle dealers at the South-South and South-East region to regularise import documents on improperly imported vehicles in their possession.
In a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP Sunday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Jerry Attah, disclosed this during a meeting with the car dealers in the unit’s headquarters, Owerri, Imo state.
According to Attah, Compt. Ugbagu said the current window of regularising import duty documents is once in a lifetime opportunity from the management of the service.
He, however, warned that after the window elapses, any vehicles with illegal documents would be seized and condemned to the government.
Attah said, “Compt. Ugbagu explained to the stakeholders that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to prevent their vehicles from being seized by the Customs if duty is assessed and paid. Importation of vehicles from land borders was banned but because of the vastness of the Nigeria land space that made it possible for it to have borders with about 4 African Countries of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin republic, the Vehicles are still being smuggled into the country.
“Those vehicles that have entered into the Country through illegal routes can be seized at any time. It is against this background that Comptroller Mike implored the dealers to utilise this wonderful opportunity of a three months window for payment of duty to regularise their customs papers.”
Attah further disclosed that Compt. Ugbagu informed the car dealers that the payment comes without penalty to the owners of the vehicles.
“The duty is even coming without penalty because the vehicles have been used in Nigeria. The valuation unit will give duty reduction.
He further advised them to utilise this once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said.
Responding, Attah, said the chairman of the Car Dealers association from Aba,Prince Adulphus Duru, said Customs operations should be limited to the borders alone
“Prince Duru, while speaking, asked that Customs operations should be limited to borders and not along Nigeria’s major roads. “He also expressed fear that the duty will be much; to which the Controller FOUC assured that the duty is issued without penalty and since the vehicles have been a Nigerian used vehicle, the Valuation Unit of the Nigeria Customs will also give a value reduction based on depreciation,” Attah stated.
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