We’re raiding car dealers’ shops because we need revenue from everywhere – Ali

….says 90 percent of cars in Nigeria smuggled into the country 

Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), has said 90 percent of cars in the country were smuggled in by unscrupulous elements.

The customs chief who said this on Thursday while addressing newsmen in Abuja, alleged that many vehicles on display for sale in auto shops across the country were also smuggled.

He noted that the recent raids of the various car dealers’ spots in some parts of the country were to ascertain whether the vehicles were brought in genuinely or not, pointing out that the service is looking for revenue and cannot allow people to bring in vehicles illegally.

“We want to use this opportunity to ensure that cars within our borders are fully customised, which means duties are paid on them. We are looking for revenue from everywhere and we have these people who brought in vehicles and failed to pay duties,” he said.

“What we are doing now, we are just enforcing the law, which allows us to collect revenue on behalf of Nigeria and also ensure those vehicles you and I will go and buy have genuine papers that are roadworthy.”