Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has suspended the controversial motor duty payment.
Joseph Attah, Customs Public Relations Officer, in a statement on
Wednesday said the decision was taken after the leadership of the
National Assembly and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed
Ali (Rtd) met with a view to resolving the impasse.
“They both agreed that the proposed motor duty payment, though in
line with the provision of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap
C.45, LFN 2004 should be put on hold while the Senate Committee on
Customs & Excise interfaces with the NCS for further discussions.
“While payment of duty on vehicles or indeed any dutiable imported
item remains a civic responsibility of every patriotic Nigerian, NCS
Management has directed that the exercise be put on hold while
expressing readiness to engage the Senate Committee on further
discussions to bring them on board to understand the importance of the
exercise to national security and economy”, he said.
Customs had given a grace period from March to Wednesday 12th April
2017 – for owners of all vehicles whose customs duty has not been paid.
The agency advised all motor dealers and private owners of such
vehicles to visit the nearest Customs Zonal Office to pay the
appropriate Customs Duty on them.
It listed the Four Zonal Offices of the Nigeria Customs Service as:
Zone A Headquarters, No. 1 Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos; Zone B
Headquarters, Kabala Doki, Kaduna; Zone C Headquarters, Nigeria Ports
Authority, Port Harcourt and Zone D Headquarters, Yelwa Tudu Road,
Bauchi State.
Customs advised “all persons in possession of such vehicles should
take advantage of the grace period to pay appropriate duties on them, as
there will be an aggressive anti-smuggling operation to seize as well
as prosecute owners of such smuggled vehicles after the deadline of
Wednesday 12th April, 2017.
“For the avoidance of doubt, all private car owners who are not sure
of the authenticity of their vehicles customs documents can also
approach the Zonal Offices to verify with a view to complying with the
provision of the law.”