The Nigeria Customs Service says it has released four Toyota Hilux pick up vans belonging to a senator after the payment of N19 million customs duties.
The vehicles were impounded by the Kano/Jigawa command of the agency about four mounts ago over evasion of duties.
Customs Controller in Kano, Yusuf Kasim, said an agent of the owner paid the duties, but he did not disclose when and who the owner is.
“I still don’t know the owners of these vehicles but what I know is that they lobbied their way and appealed for their vehicles to be released,” he told newsmen in Kano on Friday.
“And you know the vehicles were being detained, not arrested, for not paying duties. They paid the duties of N19 million; that is how we allowed them to take them.
“And the payment as usual was made by an agent who came to us with clearance papers and paid the accrued duties for the vehicles, that is why we released it to them. You know we only deal with certified agents, not directly with owners.”
Kasim said the Kano/Jigawa area Command generated over N5.9 billion in the first quarter of the 2017 fiscal year.
He said the revenue represents 59.35 percent of the N10 billion the agency projected to generate in the whole year.
He further disclosed that the command made 108 seizures valued at N58.8 million during the period, including imported parboiled rice, vegetable oil, spaghetti, second hand clothes and used tyres.
Kasim said smuggling has drastically reduced in the area.
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