Apparently reacting to serial attacks on Customs officers by residents of border communities, the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) has warned that the Service would henceforth deal with such communities.
While seeking for the cooperation of border communities in the fight against smuggling, the Customs boss noted that officers had been killed in the course of duty by hostile border communities, he appealed that the communities should assist the Customs in fishing out criminals who, on daily basis, kill Customs officers operating in their domain.
Col Ali made the call at a news conference to mark International Customs Day (ICD) in Abuja.
The World Customs Organisation (WCO) dedicates every January 26 for the celebration and improvement of efficiency in the service.
Ali alleged that the connivance and support of border communities to smugglers was worrisome, adding that the service would not hesitate to enforce extant laws to deal with the situation.
“Enough is enough, if a community decides to be on the side of criminals, they are also criminals and they will be treated as such,” he said.
He urged border dwellers and port users to support the service by reporting any smuggling activity to the nearest Customs formation.
The Customs boss said that the service, under his leadership, was determined to deal decisively with smugglers because their illicit activities were sabotaging the nation’s economy.
Ali commended the Federal Government for its commitment and strong political will to fight smuggling by equipping the service better.
He also lauded other security agencies for sharing intelligence reports with the Customs in the fight against smugglers.
Meanwhile, the Customs CG also seized the opportunity of the press briefing to appeal to the Federal Government to reduce automotive levy on imported brand new vehicles from 35 per cent to 10 per cent.
The Federal Government had put customs duty on brand new cars at 35 per cent and levy to 35 per cent, making importers to pay a total of 70 per cent of the cost of a new car as levy and duty.
Ali explained that this policy had discouraged importers as they had diverted their importations to neighbouring countries.
He said that the policy had also heightened smuggling, hence reducing the revenue the service would have generated.
According to him, the policy is put in place to encourage local automobile industries but that seems to be difficult to achieve.
“We are appealing to the government to review this policy and reduce the levy to 10 per cent so that we can now have 45 per cent on both levy and duty paid on brand new cars.
“Hopefully, when this is done, we will get increase in importation, revenue and it will also reduce smuggling,’’ he said.
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