The National Association of Automobile Marketers (NAAM) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President Ahmed Lawan to intervene in the controversial sealing of its members’ business premises by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The NCS had on September 28 initiated a clampdown on automobile dealerships nationwide.
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The customs officers, NAAM said in a statement on Monday by its secretary Joseph Iriah, did not obtain a court order granting permission for their action.
According to the statement, the NCS said the exercise was carried out to ascertain if smuggled vehicles were in the respective premises.
NAAM has expressed concern with the delay by the NCS in unsealing the premises after promising that the verification would only take a few days.
The association stated its position saying: “None of our members is involved in the act of smuggling nor do we stock in our premises any smuggled vehicles whatsoever.
“The sealing up of our premises was not sanctioned or backed by an order of Court.
“The Customs and Excise Management Act does not empower the Customs Service to seal a business premises without first identifying contraband goods within the premises.
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“We as bona fide businessmen and corporate citizens lawfully engaged in the business of importation, sales and service of automobiles do not have the license and or authority to personally clear automobiles directly from the ports as that duty statutorily belongs to Customs Licensed Clearing Agents. Therefore, any discrepancy in the documentation of any automobile imported through a Nigerian Sea Port should be placed at the doorsteps of the Customs Licensed Clearing Agents and the Customs Service.”
It also said: “As patriotic Nigerians, we stand with Nigerian Customs Service in their drive for increased revenue and their determination to curb smuggling. Even as we commend the determination of Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd), the Comptroller General of Customs to introduce international best practices in the process of clearing goods at our ports in the face of the chaotic state of affairs, we believe that due process should be followed without jeopardising the businesses of thousands of law-abiding automobile dealers by this brazen and blanket clampdown.
“To be sure, the effect of this unfortunate action on the part of the Customs Service has far-reaching negative consequences on the reputation of Nigeria as a safe haven for investors and corresponding effect on Foreign Direct Investments.
“It stifles economic growth and negates this administration’s stated resolve to create employment because at the moment this unlawful action is threatening the job security of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians employed by us.
“By this statement, we are making an urgent appeal to the President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Nigerian Customs Service to rescind and desist from carrying out such unlawful and draconian actions in the future.
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“We are also conscious and well aware of our rights at law and should our premises continue to remain shut, we shall be constrained to enforce our rights and seek legal redress by commencing legal proceedings against the Nigeria Customs Services which would naturally come with damages for the huge amount of losses we have suffered.
“In conclusion, we make a clarion call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the distinguished President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to prevail on the Nigeria Customs Service to cause an immediate unsealing of the premises of all the automobile dealers without any further delay.”
