Customs auctions 646 vehicles worth N272m in 6 months

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it has generated N272 million for the federal government from the auctioning of 646 vehicles since its E-Auction platform began six months ago.

The spokesman of the Service, Mr Joseph Attah who spoke in Abuja on Sunday said it has registered 5,454 persons since the platform commenced while 4,865 persons participated from which 646 emerged winners.

He said: "The introduction of the e-auction process was based on the need to eliminate abuses associated with manual process of the past.

"This is to ensure maximum revenue from the process while still providing equal opportunity to all  interested Nigerians  to log on to the e-auction portal and bid for any items they wish," Attah said.

The Daily Trust reports that the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) launched the electronic auction platform https: app.trade.gov.ng/e-auction on July 3, 2017.

Attah noted that the Service would continue to be careful in handling of goods at its warehouses so as not to be dragged into unnecessary litigations by claimants as a result of illegal disposal.

Meanwhile Customs also said it distributed 252,666 of 50 kilogramme (kg) bags of rice worth N3.79 billion in the last 22 months to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast and Benin in Edo state. 

The spokesman Attah said the distribution of the relief items to the IDPs was as a result of the presidential directive given in January 2016, to the Service to donate all seized perishable items to Nigerians affected by the activities of the insurgents in the Northeast.

He said Col. Ali inaugurated the National Logistics Committee (NLC) in February 2016, with members drawn from Customs and other security agencies to transfer all seized rice and other relief items to IDPs in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Edo States.

"Likewise, 82,140 (25) litre of  jerry cans worth over  N985 million, 19,491 cartoon of soap worth N52.6m and other items including bales of used cloths, foot wears were distributed as well,” Attah said.

He noted that despite the tonnes of rice and other relief items already transferred to the IDPs, NCS warehouses across the country are still filled with rice.