Customs removes four vehicles without import duty from Abuja hotel

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday said its operatives has removed four vehicles from Fraser Suites in Abuja based on intelligence that vehicles without Duty Payment were taken there from a car dealer stand.

Recall that the Customs this week began a nationwide raid on car dealer shops to seize vehicles that are suspected not to have the import duty on them.

A statement by the Customs’ Public Relations Officer (PRO), Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, clarified what it described as misinformation about the operation.

It said: “Our operatives, relying on intelligence that owners of some exotic cars (including bullet proof) without duty payment quickly removed their vehicles from a car mart and took same to Fraser Hotel, Abuja.

“On arrival at the hotel, our operatives interacted with the manager and eventually left with four vehicles leaving six behind, while expecting the manager to provide the keys to the cars left behind.

“However, the manager this morning gave a written undertaking to produce a Customs vehicle duty payment documents to support his claim that the vehicles were not smuggled,” it noted.

NCS said the Service assured the manager of prompt release of the seized vehicles as soon as evidences of appropriate duty payments are presented.

Attah in the statement further clarified that the operation had nothing to do with guests at the hotel and did not wake the guests up to identify the vehicles.

“NCS did not do such thing and has no intention to start raiding hotels. Our operatives never infringed on the rights and comfort of guests in the hotel,” he said.

While advising Nigerians to be wary of social posts, we urge members of the public to discountenance the fabrication as NCS will continue to work in the interest of Nigerians.