Angry Nigerians have come hard on the Nigeria Customs Service over its new directive that importers or owners of vehicles that were imported into the country without payment of statutory duty should pay such duty or have their vehicles confiscated.
The attack on the Customs dominated the service’s Facebook Page where aggrieved Nigerians from across the country took the service to the cleaners, accusing it of serial incompetence and buck-passing.
The attacks were in response to the Customs appeal to owners whose vehicles fall into the categories of those that may be seized on account of non-payment of statutory customs duty.
One Garba Salihu wrote: “My friend go and answer the Senate first before speaking rubbish. After your men issued fake duty called "Dan Sambo" to Nigerians, you have the gut to ask for payment on old vehicle, where were your men when the vehicles entered Nigeria borders, Go back to your Act, your duty is at the Nations Border and any collaboration with other service agent is wrong except you what to see the other side of Nigerians, I bet you some of your officers will be crushed by angry citizens in this harsh economic situation. Yeye dey smell. Do your officers pay duty?”
Yet another Nigerian; Jacob Oyebamiji Oladele said: “This agency is portraying the government as heartless and barbaric. This argument is not plausible under a democratic dispensation. Let government constitute the board of Custom to guide the rigid and fragile sole Administrator we have there now.”
Okoro Tom Felix: “This is absolute rubbish. I bought a car in Nigeria how do I know if duty was not paid. The Nigerian Customs should be ashamed of themselves. They should look for what to do as this will not go down well with Nigerians. I thought they were talking about VIN only recently. If they are serious, a timeline should be drawn for the implementation of the VIN program and model of verification made easily available to every Nigerians wanting to buy a car within Nigeria”.
Jillambu Musa Abubakar: “This is nonsense!! How could your officers at the border allow vehicle into the country, I believe there's a deal with the officers that "if you don't want to pay the duty at the border, they'll give you PASS which cost N50,000 only". " Allah ya'isan mu, because we're not supposed to pay for your mistakes.. Angry!!!!
Ebuka Aniekwe-Esq: “Let us see how you can enforce such arbitrary directives. That's chaos and law suits in the waiting. You can imagine how many vehicles are on the road. Rubbish directives without having the interest of Nigerians at heart”.
Abbas Salisu simply asked a question: “How did those cars enter the country with your men?
Emeka Meskana Ob, wrote “Customs are the most corrupt organisation in this country”
Muhammad Babayo simply said: “this is nonsense”
Abbas Salisu: “we are close to the border very soon we will start blowing our whistles about your men”
Jibrin Paul In this generation of Internet the world has become a global village; Why not open a website where everyone can log in to verify the authenticity of their vehicles
AbdurRahman Adamu: “Soon war will break between the Custom's personnel and poor Nigerian citizens, we are watching Mr dictator and anti-Nigerian masses called Hameed Ali”
Rahman Isa: “Where wre your boys while those cars were being smuggled, check yourself before you check others, cars doesn't fly”
Imeh Justin wrote, “This will be tough. I hope they can handle a problem that was induced and aided by corrupt customs officers”.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that, following criticisms, the Customs last week granted a rebate of 60 per cent rebate on vehicles imported from 2015 downwards.
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