Customs rubbish Senate order on border implementation, say ban stands

Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) on Wednesday directed operatives of the Headquarters Compliance Team and Federal Operations Units to compliment the resident officers of land borders to beef up security and enforce the Federal Government policy on non importation of vehicles through land borders.

By this directive, Customs had dismissed an order by the Senate to immediately suspend the policy which became effective at the beginning of the year.

A motion sponsored by Senator Barau Jibrin representing Kano North Senatorial District alongside four others, argued that the ban will lead to over 500,000 job loss.

But a statment by Jospeh Attah, Customs acting Public Relations Officer, said apart from being a statutory function of NCS to implement Government Fiscal Policies, the advantages and opportunities inherent in the policy is a motivation to ensure compliance.

He noted that despite Nigeria’s bigger and more equipped port facilities, statistics has shown that more than 90% of vehicles imported to neighbouring countries are normally on transit to Nigeria market.

Continuing he said, “Though duty rates chargeable for motor vehicles at both land borders and seaports remain the same, importers of these vehicles exploit the informality of land border trade, since they are not usually manifested for Nigeria ports to either smuggle through the porous border or compromise some Customs Officers and that of other agencies to short change the nation.”

He quoted the CGC as charging the anti-smuggling squads to ensure total blockage such that no desperate vehicle importer gets his or her to smuggle in the trapped vehicles.

The statment added that “beyond revenue loss, allowing a system that is fraught with security implications in our present fragile security situation will not be a patriotic thing to do.

“Stakeholders are therefore enjoined to see the inherent benefits of the policy and cooperate with the Nigeria Customs Service as personnel strive to implement the fiscal policy of Government.”

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