The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 13 exotic bullet-proof
cars ostensibly smuggled into the country in the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Comptroller–General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hammed Ali (rtd.), said
the cars have value of between N70 million to N240 million per unit.
Addressing newsmen at the NCS Headquarters where the exotic cars have
been kept, Ali said the Customs had to seize the cars because beside
the issue of non- payment of duty, their importation required clearance
from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which the dealer
was unable to produce at the time of filling this report.
He disclosed that the Customs’ Compliance Team identified the cars on
Saturday, September 16, 2017 based on intelligent information at a Car
Dealer’s Mart, Kefiano Motors Limited in the Central Business District,
Abuja.
Besides the 13 exotic bullet–proof cars, five other models of
executive high range vehicles were also identified at the Mart, which
have no verifiable documents or evidence of duty payment, which strongly
suggests there were smuggled into the country and displayed for sale at
the mart.
His words: “Beyond the issue of non-payment of customs duty, 13 of
these vehicles are bullet-proof. These vehicles require clearance from
the Office of the NSA before importation.
“In a period of fragile security, we cannot afford to have
unauthorised persons use armoured vehicles. Without the possession of
End User Certificates (EUC), bringing in these vehicles is illegal’’
Ali said the vehicles are: two Range Rovers; one Rolls Royce; four
Lexus; three G Wagons; two Prados; one Lincoln Navigator and one
Infinity.
The others are: One Mercedes 4matic; two Toyota Sequoia and one Toyota Camry.
He added that seizing the vehicles was in line with the Customs
powers as specified in Section 147 of the Customs and Excise Management
Act (CEMA) Cap 45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (Laws to
search Premises), as well as Section 158 of the CEMA cap 45, Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria (Powers to patrol freely.)
Meanwhile, Ali pointed out that the Customs Service also stepped up
its anti – smuggling implementation of the Federal Government’s ban on
importation of vehicles through land borders, leading to the seizures of
some 265 smuggled vehicles across the country.
He gave the breakdown of the seizure as follows: Zone A, Lagos- 135
vehicles; Zone B, Kaduna- 93 vehicles and Zone C – Port Harcourt, 37
vehicles. Zone D, which is Bauchi, recorded no seizure of vehicles in
the period under review.
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