Ehizibue Suzy took
to her Facebook account to share her thoughts on the activities of the Nigerian
Customs Service Officials on the highways this festive season. . Read what she wrote after the cut...
Please if you plan to travel with
your vehicle (that was imported less than 6 years ago) I plead that you pause
and think about those sheets of paper known as "custom papers".The Nigerian Customs Service
officials are not smiling; they are very willing to impound your vehicle for
any irregularity on your custom papers, you then have to discharge all your
personal effects from your vehicle and look for alternative transportation
means of returning to your base or continue to your
destination. This option is often after you and your vehicle have been
detained, you would be of course offered bail but with attendant tough
conditions – remember you are probably about 300km away from your base and
about 250km to your destination – meeting those conditions is no tea party.
By the time you get to the compound
/ warehouse, humility would have become your second nature and anything they tell
you, you will be in a hurry to comply. You will probably also understand that
your case is small and insignificant when you see the assortment of exotic
vehicles already impounded, and you hear people discussing the imminent
forfeiture of some of those exotic vehicles to the Government.
My Christmas advice to all who
might fall into this group is to please take your custom papers to any customs
formation to confirm the validity of the documents you have, first they would
likely check to see if adequate duty was paid then they would also check if the
said duty was actually paid. If you have a friend that works with the Customs
service better ask the person to help you check your documents before you set
off rather than call them to help you beg when you have been caught.
The sad fact is that all these
issues are caused by the collusion of some Customs officials and clearing
agents, then another set of Customs officials would deal with your situation on
the highway.We currently have about seven (7)
Customs check point between Ijebu-Ode and Asaba. The experience is not what you
would wish your enemy, especially not during the end of year festivities. Wish everyone a wonderful and
blissful festive period, as you drive safe to arrive alive.
