23 March 2015, Lagos – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has directed importers to clear vehicles and other goods imported into the country between January and December last year within two weeks.
Both Tin Can Island and PTML Commands of the Customs have warned that goods that were not cleared within the stipulated period would be confiscated.
The Customs Commands also warned that the customs licensed agencies involved in the declaration of the goods may also be risking suspension of their licences for failing to clear them.
The importers and their agents were said to have made declarations between January and December last year but have not paid for them.
Names of the importers and agencies, including details of their consignments were published separately by Tin Can Island and PTML Commands.
The list of the affected goods in both commands is estimated at over 2,500 various goods.
Since the publication, importers and customs brokers have been making frantic efforts to clear the goods in order not to suffer any penalty.
Affected importers who had paid but not cleared them were advised to show evidence to enable them take delivery of the goods.
Customs Controller, Tin Can Island Port, Mr. Jibrin Zakare said it was wrong to have declared the goods without coming forward to clear them.
Zakare advised the importers and their agents to come forward to clear the goods so as not to suffer any penalty by the Customs.
The Controller also warned that failure to comply with the directive may lead to suspension of the declarant or agency and the consignee in the ASYCUDA system.
According to him, the Command was ready to attend to importers and their agents who come forward to process their goods for clearance.
He however denied that officers of his Command were suspended for fraudulent practices as reported in some national dailies recently.
He said internal measures have been put in place to check any fraudulent practices by officers of the command.
Zakare said that the current low revenue at the ports generally was due to uncertainty in the general election, adding that the situation will improve soon.
– This Day
