The senate has asked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to suspend its policy onseizing all vehicles of which duty have not been paid.
Customs had given owners of such vehicles a deadline of April 12 for payment, threatening to prosecute those who do not comply with its directive.
“The comptroller-general of customs, Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd) has approved a grace period of one month, between Monday 13th March to Wednesday 12th April 2017 for owners of all vehicles within the country whose customs duty has not been paid to do so,” Joseph Attah, NCS’ spokesman, had said this in a statement.
“The CGC therefore calls on all persons in possession of such vehicles to 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.”
But on Tuesday, Balla Na’Allah, deputy majority leader, sponsored a motion to oppose customs’ action.
Na’Allah argued that it was not possible for cars to come into the country without paying duty.
After debating the issue, the upper legislative chamber passed a resolution that the policy be suspended, and summoned the comptroller-general of customs for adequate explanation
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