The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has faulted importers using the neighbouring ports to bring in used cars on the pretext that the Nigerian ports were too expensive.
Public Relations Officer, Tin-Can Island Customs Command, Mr Chris Osunkwo said in Lagos that it was cheaper to import cars through the Nigerian ports than the neighbouring ports.
According to him, “Importers bring over-aged vehicles into Nigeria through Cotonou border, because the government had placed 15 years age restriction on used vehicles that would be shipped into country.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has faulted importers using the neighbouring ports to bring in used cars on the pretext that the Nigerian ports were too expensive.
Public Relations Officer, Tin-Can Island Customs Command, Mr Chris Osunkwo said in Lagos that it was cheaper to import cars through the Nigerian ports than the neighbouring ports.
According to him, “Importers bring over-aged vehicles into Nigeria through Cotonou border, because the government had placed 15 years age restriction on used vehicles that would be shipped into country.
“Instead of paying more to our neighbouring ports and giving what should be accruable to Nigeria to other ports, we would have been collecting more money from the imports.
“This would be cheaper for the importers in the long run.
“Government does not want this place to become a dumping ground for products that could litter our environment.’’
Osunkwo said that most vehicles from the neighbouring countries were from importers who smuggled over-aged vehicles through unapproved routes.
He said that in the process of smuggling the vehicles, the importers ran into customs officers and there could be shoot out which could claim lives of officers and the smugglers.
The Federal Government in Nov. 2010 increased the age limit on fairly- used imported cars otherwise known as `tokunbo’ from 10 to 15 years.
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