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Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has sealed off six vehicle tarmacs in Kebbi State during a raid over nonpayment of valid Customs duties and lack of registration documents.
The six affected vehicle tarmacs – Gamzaki Motors, Ijaba Motors, Sauki Motors, Ajala Motors, Jihab Motors and Aboki Motors – were sealed in Birnin-Kebbi, the state capital.
The Financial Secretary of Motor Dealers Association of Nigeria, Kebbi State chapter, who is also Managing Director, Ajala Motors, Alhaji Faruku Ajala, confirmed the development while briefing reporters in Birnin-Kebbi on Thursday .
He explained that, on Tuesday night, Customs officials descended on their car stands, sealed off their business premises without issuing any notice for an operation to confiscate vehicles on which valid custom duties have not been paid.
The raid on their imported vehicle stock, he said, had caused commotion and panic among Association members, recounting that Customs operatives had shot at vehicle tyres during the raid.
“On hearing that Customs men were sealing car stands, my boys were afraid. When the Customs came to my business premises, they shot the tyres of my 2 vehicles, claiming that my boys wanted to drive them away,” Ajala said.
“What my boys did was wrong by trying to run away from the Customs with the vehicles. The vehicles they shot at, fortunately, have valid original custom duties. 90% of my vehicles have Custom duties,” he insisted, declaring the readiness of the Association to iron out any problem with Customs.
“Our members are ready for amicable resolutions on the issue of duty payment as long the government reduces the amount paid on duties. I have over 40 youths working in my company who are receiving monthly salaries. Imagine what will happen if this place continues to remain shut,” he said.
Ajala appealed to the government to intervene in the matter so that car dealers business premises will be reopened for business, considering that the dealers are employers of labour.
Reacting to the raid, the Zonal Public Relation Officer, Nigeria Customs Service, Zone B, Kaduna, Superintendent of Customs Ado Abdulkarim, in a telephone conversation with reporters from Birnin-Kebbi, said the operation was in line with ‘Operation Border Drill’ embarked upon by the Service and other security agencies.
Abdulkarim added that the raid was a countrywide operation to ensure that cars are properly registered and duties paid into government coffers.
